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Bridgeport City
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Bridgeport City
Bridgeport is a seaport city in the state of Connecticut. It is located in Fair County and bordered by other towns which are Fairfield, Trumbull, and Stratford. It is the largest city in the state with a population of roughly 146000 people. The city has a rich history dating back to before colonization by the English. The earliest inhabitants of the town were a native tribe called the Paugusett. The tribe had several scared sites one of which was the Golden Hill which was the source of water for their planting fields. The natives were mainly fishermen and farmers, growing crops such as squash, com and beans. When the colonialists arrived, they set up camp in Stratfield district. They began to take part in activities such as farming and the town began to grow as a trading center. The shipbuilding and whaling industries were also established at the time (Forrant). The Housatonic Railway boosted the economy of the town especially after it was connected to the rails of New York and new haven. Manufacturing became the backbone of the city’s economy until the 1970s.
Before and during the First World War, the city continued to expand mainly due to industrial growth. Heavy industry restructuring in the 1970s saw the decline of the city’s economy. Many people lost their jobs and many more moved out of the city into the rapidly developing suburban neighborhoods. The city was further mismanaged and several officials were convicted of this. The city filed for bankruptcy but was declared solvent by a federal court in 1991. In recent years the city has revamped itself by coming up with mixed development projects and proposed shopping areas that will create jobs for its economy.
The city has a population of about 146000 people making it a small city with a relatively low population. It is mainly suburban as most people live outside the city itself. This is because of the collapse of heavy industries in the 1980s that led to the economic and social decline of the city. The city is divided into five geographic neighborhoods which are Downtown, East Side, North End, South End and the West Side. These neighborhoods are mostly middle class and upper middle-class. The city can this be termed as being middle class although there are a few poor neighborhoods in the geographic areas around. The median income per person in the city is about $43000 which is lower than other cities in the state.
The main economic activities of the town are centered on the service industry. The main employers are the fields of education, health and finance. The major employer is the health sector with the largest hospitals being St. Vincent’s medical centre, Bridgeport Hospital and Bridgeport Healthcare Centre. These hospitals combined employ about 6000 people. Other employers are the People’s United Bank, the University of Bridgeport and Housatonic Community College. The rate of unemployment is relatively low with some people being employed and others running small scale businesses within the city. The city has one of the most unequal income distributions in the city with fifty seven percent of going to the wealthiest people.
The governance structure of the city is the mayor-council system. Each district in the county elects two members into the city council. The mayor is elected by all the residents of the city at large. The public schools system takes up most of the budget of the city, about half of the total budget amounting to nearly $260 million. The Property taxes in the city are quite high, about 4.2%. The mill rate reached an all time high in 2017 at 54.37.
Some of the major problems that the city of Bridgeport faces include the high rate of taxes. One resident of the city even proposed that the city be given the Guinness world record for highest raise in property taxes in a year in 2017. Aside from this, the other major challenge is how the city spends its revenues. A lot of it goes into retirement benefits that have escalated in the recent past. The medical covers of the retired people also weigh heavily on the city’s budget. Other concerns include employment levels and poverty levels. During the economic crunch faced by the city, many people lost their jobs and this has affected the quality of services available. The city has also faced crimes common in others pats other country. To combat these crimes and other concerns of residents, the mayor launched a platform for them to report any issues (Barraza). A major challenge in the city is that there may not be enough resources to address them because of the fiscal inflexibility that is part of cities in Connecticut.
I would say that my city is a good place to live. There is a vibrant entertainment scene, waterfront park and beaches. For theater and music, there are several venues for events. These venues include Cabaret Downtown Theatre, Playhouse on the Green, Webster Bank Arena nod Playhouse on the Green (Hersh 103). These arenas can host both large and small events such as children’s plays and concerts, sports events and theaters. One of the most famous events that are hosted by the city is the Gathering of the Vibes. The event takes place every year and showcases music, arts and camping events through an entire weekend. The event attracts thousands of people from all over the country. The Greater Bridgeport Symphony is one of Bridgeport’ prestigious orchestras that has been existence since 1945.
For history and nature lovers, the city is home to museums, parks and zoos. The Discovery Museum and Planetarium shows science-focused exhibits. The Housatonic museum of Art has an impressive art collection of art considering it is only two years old. The Barnum museum concentrates more on the history of the city while the Beardsley Zoo is the only zoo in the wider Connecticut region. The city is also home to a number of parks, earning it the nickname ‘the Park City’. The first park was created in 1806 and as the population of the city grew, residents recognized the need for public spaces. This led to the creation of Seaside Park, Beardsley Park, Beechword Park, and Pleasure Beach (Olmsted).
In conclusion the city of Bridgeport has a rich history that spans through many decades. The city has grown through times of social and economic decline due to bad leadership but in recent times it has risen again. It is now home to tens of thousands of residents and the current leadership has come up with plans to earn the city even more revenue by creating employment and attracting tourists. The city is home to people of diverse backgrounds making it cosmopolitan and welcoming to visitors. Its public parks are also a major attraction and source of pleasure for its residents. The vibrant music and art scene provides entertainment for the residents by hosting sporting events, concerts, plays and camping activities. Living in the city gives a person many options to choose from in terms of entertainment and exploration. Challenges are an inevitable part of growth but Bridgeport City is a wonderful place to live in.
Works Cited
Forrant, Robert. “The Rise and Demise of the Connecticut River Valley’s Industrial Economy.” Historical Journal of Massachusetts 46.1 (2018).
Olmsted, Frederick Law. Frederick Law Olmsted: Plans and Views of Public Parks. Vol. 2. JHU Press, 2015.
Hersh, Barry. “Parks, open space, arts and culture.” Urban Redevelopment. Routledge, 2017. 101-108.
Barraza, Brisa, et al. “Design Thinking for Better Community in the City of Bridgeport.” (2018).
Abigail Adams And Mercy Otis Warren
Abigail Adams And Mercy Otis Warren
Introduction
Abigail Adams and Mercy Otis Warren are two women who can be identified as the founding mothers of the United States. Abigail Adams was married to the former president of United States John Adams. She was actively involved in the political life of her husband. She pushed her husband to recognize the legal rights of women. Mercy Otis on the other hand, vehemently opposed the British colonization in Massachusetts. Her work as an artist is often considered to be her way for presenting her political opinions. As a political writer she gave her voice when many other women maintained their silence. The two women were both born at Massachusetts, and both actively engaged in politics as feminist pushing not just their husband agendas, but the voice of women. These papers excavate into the lives of these two great women in American history.
Abigail Adams
She was born on November 11, 1744. Her parents were William Smith and Elizabeth Quincy. She was born at Weymouth, Massachusetts. She did not have formal education, but instead learnt at home. She learned writing, reading, and mathematics. She also studied dance, music, and Irish. She had access to her father and grandfather’s libraries. Her father was someone who loved to learn and read and often encouraged his children to look at his extensive library. Her special interest was on theology, philosophy, Shakespeare, ancient theory, the classics, and government law.
She met her husband and a lawyer John Adams when she was only 15, they later married on October 25 1764 and moved to Boston with him. They bought a huge track of land in 1787, known as Peacefield, and John Adams was then a minister for Great Britain. Their marriage conceived three children among them the Sixth president of United States, John Quincy Adams. Her first child came into their lives almost immediately after marriage. Therefore, her first role as a wife was to raise these children. Her other roles in the family included helping her husband in managing finances for their household, and producing crops. In 1774, Abigail, was left behind by her husband as he went to serve the British government as a delegate of the colony in the First Continental Congress. This period led to a correspondence between the two that forms the basis of much of the public debates regarding her. In these letters she passed various advices to her husband political questions. She also reflected her own observations as well as the unfolding events during the revolution. Abigail in 1776, when the Second Continental Congress came close, began to write letters to her husband telling him that there was need for new government to uplift the legal status of women to the level of men. Though she did not succeed in pushing him to admit the need to do this, her writing are the first known attempts to have women enjoy the same rights as men. She remained separated with her husband as he moved between countries in official duties, but she kept him informed of what was taking place locally.
She took an active role in her husband political life. Following her husband election to the presidency of United States between March 179 7 and March 1801 as the second president, she rose to the status of First Lady. She stayed with him in Philadelphia and later on at Washington, D.C for a period of eighteen months in both places. Often, she openly criticized those she considered to be against her husband Federal Party. The anti-Federalist inclined to Thomas Jefferson like Albert Gallatin became her immortal enemies and openly criticized her in press. He called her names and nicknamed her “Mrs. President not of the United States but a faction”. Although such statements hurt her a lot, she was not intimidated. She did not fear to give her personal opinion. She was not liked for her opinions, but was highly valued by her husband. Her influence on presidential appointments made her a number one enemy of the opposition. In addition, she consistently campaigned for freedom of African-American slaves and equality in education for girls.
Just about the time the continental Congress gave the independence declaration in 1776, she had written a letter to her husband requesting him to put ladies into consideration while drafting new code of laws she argued that ladies were going to rebel if they were not going to be represented or given a voice. It is known that her husband refused to harkens to her statement, and Holton writes how she went ahead to revolt against these laws within her household. As one of her letter in 1782, revealed, she took issue with the law degradation of women by giving husbands undue rights to control and even disposal of the properties of their wives. She went ahead to defy these laws and created her own wealth. In 1816, convinced she was in the edge of death she sat down and wrote down a will. Legally she did not have a right to own properties while her husband was alive and the mere act of drafting this will was an a act of rebellion. Even more intriguing is the fact that she decide to live her properties not to her sons, but to other married women.
She is therefore, known to have initiated a revolution for personal property rights. Like many other patriots in the revolutionary period her husband abandoned his family for a very long period. As a result, he was not able to manage their properties. Abigail was therefore responsible for managing the financial aspects of the family and she was very good at it. She was very good at investing these fiancés because she was open to risks. She invested her husband money in government securities and other ventures. Out of this money she stashed away some, which she referred to as her own pocket money. In her will she gave out most of her wealth to her granddaughters as compared to what she left for her male relatives. Holton argues that the main reason for doing this was not because she hated them, but because she wanted to cut her life as one of advocating for women rights to own property. Her will did not have any weight in the court of law, but it was honored by her husband.
Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814)
She was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts as the daughter of Colonel James Otis and Mary Allyne. Her parents did not take her to school, but she was allowed to attend her brother’s lesson, with his tutor Reverend Russell. Therefore, like Abigail Adams she also received exceptional training unlike other women of 18th century. Her brother, James Otis had great influence on the direction of her life. Besides, his influence in convincing their parents to allow her attend his lessons, his political life also shaped the path of her life. James Otis was brutally attacked as he walked towards British Coffee House in Occupied Boston by the British officers. This incident had a great impact on Mercy Otis life.
Mercy had a talent for writing and she was urged on by her brother. He also took over her tutoring and was the first to read her initial poems. Her first writing was mainly influenced by her religious background. However, her writing was transformed and she became a political playwright, satirist, and historian. She married James Warren, in 1754. Her brother continued to influence her even in marriage life. It was time for the American Revolution and James Otis forged the phrase that “taxation without representation is tyranny” to oppose the British government oppressive taxes. In the 1750s and 60 her husband John Warren and others joined her brother to form the Sons of Liberty. Her home hosted many political meetings and she was involved in deliberating liberty and independence issues. She played a key role in facilitating the growth of this movement by starting to write political satire through pamphlets, poems, and plays.
Mercy Ortiz in particular took offense with certain individuals. She considered Governor Hutchinson’s actions as one of the reasons for her father political disappointments. She also associated the British attack on her brother to what later befell him, which is mental incapacitation. Following attack of James Otis in 1769, she decided to carry his mantle. She was determined to keep the mantle of liberty that his brother initiated with her writing. She also kept close friendship with Abigail Adams and John Adams. Together with her husband, these friends helped her to carry on her new role. John Adams in particular, helped her to publish her first play “the Adulateur” in 1772. It was published in the Massachusetts Spy and acted in Upper Servia. She used this play to criticize the governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Hutchinson. She portrayed his leadership as being wicked. She criticized him and his allies for what she considered to be monopolization of public offices. This play also depicted the people she considered to be the patriots of the nation including James Warren, Sam Adams, and James Otis. Her other plays like The Defeat (1773) as well as the Group (1779) also praised the patriots and rebuked the British troops and tyrannical leaders. They represent her filial emotions and patriotism.
Conclusion
These are two exception women involved in their own unique ways in shaping American future in the revolution period. Abigail comes out as a strong champion of women right to education and in property ownership. Her role as a political leader can also not be undermined, as she not only shaped her husband political direction prior to his presidency, but also during his tenure. On the other hand, Mercy Otis Warren comes out as an exceptional writer who uses her literary work to influence the public perception of patriotism and traitors. These two women depicts the strengths of women in the prehistoric time, despite not being well empowered by the society. They both did not get formal education, but they did great with the opportunity given to them by those who loved them.
References
Primary Sources
“First Lady Biography: Abigail Adams”. National First Ladies’ Library. Web
Black, Allida. “Abigail Smith Adams”. theWhite House. (2009). Web.
Hamlin, Joanne. Mercy Otis Warren: Patriot with a Pen. Helion Nine, Vol.8, (1983): 84-90.
Secondary Sources
Donnelly, M. A. Mercy Otis warren (1728-1814): Satirist of the American Revolution. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. (1988).
Holton, Woody. Abigail Adams’ Last Act of Defiance. American History. 45.1, (2010). 56-61.
Wheeler, Jill C. Abigail Adams. Edina, Minn: ABDO. (2010).
Brian Palacios
Brian Palacios
Argumentative/Persuasive Essay
Dennie Johnson
17 October 2018
Why Baby- Boomers and Generation X Managers Should Hire Generation Z
Millennial and Generation Z workers are known to espouse different attitudes and values about work from other generations. These generational gaps, different values, and work ethics may bring about negative perceptions about these generations especially now since many of them are eligible for employment. In today’s corporate world, the HR and talent management department strives to include multiple generations in the workplace to increase diversity and to meet inclusion requirements. A multigenerational workplace faces unique challenges and opportunities for both employers and employees since they are forced to work together despite the differences in work values. There might be reluctances from the managerial staff and hiring departments to hire generation Z workers due to negative perceptions, fear of the challenges a multigenerational workplace faces, and little understanding of this generation. However, most Baby Boomers are facing retirement and exiting the workforce in large numbers, and there will be numerous gaps in employment. The corporate world should, therefore, be keen to attract and retain these young workers. All employers and firms should pay attention to this young generation since there is a shortage of skilled workers in the nation due to low birth rates and an aging workforce, generation Z workers have higher levels of education than others, and that they are more ethnoculturally diverse. This generation also has different values, attitudes, and expectations about work from other generations and report a greater amount of job and organization changes.
Who are the Millennial and Generation Z Generations? There are no precise dates for when these cohorts start or end, but many define the millennial generation as the people born between 1980 and 1995 (David Foot). The Millennials are also referred to by demographers as “Baby Boom Echo” since most of them are Baby Boomers (1946-1965) children. “Generation Z is the generation born from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s”. Their parents are primarily in generation X. Every cohort shares a common place in historical time and is therefore influenced by the same events. The conceptualization of the term ‘generation’ is established in the theory of sociology of generations by Mannheim (1952) that states that members of a generation share more than just birth years, but an environment. This environment and occurrence shape their behaviors, attitudes, and norms of political, sociocultural, and economic issues.
Many managers and employers happen to be baby-boomers and/or Generation Xers, and these generations tend to have negative perceptions of the Generation Z workers. However, “the U.S. and other first world countries have been characterized by low birth rates due to lifestyle choices that are linked to economic affluence” (Nargund, 191). The aging workforce is also increasing since many Baby Boomers are retiring from their working positions. Moreover, the government is stepping up their stringent immigration policies and therefore increasing the problem of shortage of labor. Many organizations will be faced by labor shortages, and thus workforce renewal efforts should be directed to the Generation Z generation.
The generation Z have been “profoundly shaped by factors that affected their generation X parents” and guardians (Ozkan and Solmaz, 476). Due to the significance of education and its effects on quality of life being heavily pressed on the Baby Boomers and generation Xers, they have ensured that their children (generation Z) attain higher levels of education. Due to this, many persons in the generation Z are either enrolled in or plan to enroll in higher-learning institutions. These generations are also characterized by a high number of women in institutions of higher learning than other institutions. They, therefore, have higher expectations of themselves and better technical know-how than previous generations. Hiring them will, therefore, be beneficial to an organization since they do not take a long orientation system as they are equipped to work. Moreover, the generation Z cohort highly favors creativity and innovation. Due to this, they can come up with new and helpful ideas for the organization.
According to robust studies on different generations and their work ethics, generation Z workers have “different attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of work” (Cristina, 47). These two generations have been known to report high degrees of preference for extrinsic rewards. They also prefer leisure over work and also indicate a strong preference for work-life balance (Cristina, 51). Therefore, the current human resource practices to attract new employees may not necessarily attract these generations. It is consequently easier to motivate a generation Z worker since they prefer materialistic rewards to intrinsic rewards such as career growth, personal achievement, and sense of accomplishment. This group prefers tangible and specific rewards such as recognition, awards, money, or contributions to team endeavors. It is thus easier for a manager to achieve this type of rewards to an employee rather than for other generations who prefer intrinsic motivation.
The generation Z cohort also reports to wanting more exciting work and organizational changes. These groups search for working opportunities that fully engage them and that are ‘meaningful.’ They are therefore willing to cross boundaries to work in non-profit organizations and the public sectors since these organizations, through public service tasks, offer attractive opportunities for them. A study on U.S. students who expressed altruism, wanted to “do good,” and were compassionate were seen to be more interested in non-profit work. According to a study by Dr. Singh (2016), “generation Z workers may find working for the government cumbersome since the hiring process is associated with bureaucracy and inefficiency” (Singh, 1). Government agencies are also perceived to “lag behind the times” in terms of innovation and are thus unattractive. The negative attitudes on government jobs may drive the generation Z to shy away from such opportunities to the private sector and to non-profit organizations that provide a platform to work for social change to deliver public service. Therefore, Baby Boomers or generation Xers who own small firms or non-profit firms should find these generations as competent personnel.
The generation Z cohort is very ethnoculturally diverse as from the 1980s, all fifty U.S. states became more racially and ethnically diverse, although at different rates. Therefore, this generation is more likely to have gone to school with persons who are culturally, ethnically, and/or racially different from them. This cohort has therefore been more exposed to messages of inclusivity and promotion of diversity. Therefore, “individuals in generation Z are more likely to hold egalitarian views on minority groups and women” (Uche, 41). This translates to fewer workplace problems since they are more likely to respect diversity leading to better teamwork and workplace harmony.
Many employers may label the Generation Z workforce as “spoiled and entitled” since most of them have been raised in middle-class environments as the baby boomers and the generation Xers (their parents) were successful (Knapp, Weber and Moellenkamp, 138). The generation Z workforce is also more likely to change careers from the non-profit sector to more profitable sectors such as the private sector. Many baby boomers and generation Xers link this to the fact that Generation Z desires more extrinsic motivations such as better pay that may not be available in not-for-profit organizations. However, research has shown that due to many of the generation Z attaining high levels of education, then they are better suited to work across many sectors. This offers them job flexibility, and whenever a better opportunity opens up, they go for it. These generations are “sector-agonistic” reinforcing the transferability of their skills across numerous interrelated sectors.
Works Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Cristina, Maria. “Generation Z and its Perception of Work.” Cross-Cultural Management Journal 3.1 (2016): 47-55.
Knapp, Curtis A., Christine Weber and Sarah Moellenkamp. “Challenges and strategies for incorporating Generation Z into the workplace.” Corporate Real Estate Journal 7.2 (2018): 137-148.
Nargund, G. “Declining birth rate in Developed Countries: A radical policy re-think is required.” Facts, Views & Vision: Issues in Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Reproductive Health (2017): 191–193.
Ozkan, Mustafa and Betul Solmaz. “The Changing Face Of TheEmployees- Generation Z And Their Perceptions Of Work (A Study Applied To University Students).” Procedia Economics and Finance 2.1 (2015): 476-483.
Singh, A.P. “Understanding the generation Z: The Future Workforce.” Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies 3.3 (2016): 2-46.
Uche, Sharon. “Generation Z and Corporate Social Responsibility.” Digital Commons (2017): 1-95.