Factors Affecting Food choice The WritePass Journal

Factors Affecting Food choice 1. Introduction Factors Affecting Food choice 1. Introduction2. Literature review3. Theory4. Research analysis5. Impact of culture on the choice of food6. Current situation and how these reflect on our identity 7. Social context8. Conclusion9. ReferenceRelated 1. Introduction The study of food is an important area of contemporary and anthropological concern. It is an essential component in our daily lives. Besides providing the basic energy and sustenance necessary for life, it is a way of forging a personal connection with families and friends. While food may not seem to be an obvious marker of identity, it plays a crucial role in demarcating cultural identity. Most importantly, it is a reflection of who we are. Understanding the choice of diet is a complex endeavor discussed in various disciplines such as nutrition, economics, psychology, physiology and sociology. Food related behavior is influenced by a several variables. The three major determinants outlined by various models are the physical properties, psychological and social factors (Rozin, 2006). This paper explores on its cultural impact among individuals in different societies. Emphasis has been made on its role in social structure. Further, key factors determining the choice of food have been highlighted. The research question being answered here is â€Å"Does what we eat define who we are and where we come from?† 2. Literature review Much of existing literature has been broad based focusing on issues of health, quality and food safety.   Studies on the factors affecting the choice of food are still few. In a study on the culinary habits in Hong Kong, David, Siumi Sidney (2002) were fascinated with the findings of their research. In their title â€Å"A study of food culture, changing tastes and identity in popular discourse†, they analyzed food and cultural identity in the context of demographic and family structure in Hong Kong. Their analysis revealed a process of culinary invention which reflected the larger social and cultural trends. Madison McFarlin (2009) studies revealed that the history of Britain had played a crucial role determining their cultural foods. The Romans brought cherries, peas, cabbages and stinging nettles. The Danes and the Vikings developed techniques for smoking and drying fish (Madison McFarlin, 2009). During the 12th century, the Normans did not only invade the country, but also changed their feeding habits. They encouraged consumption of beef, mutton and drinking of wine. This greatly influenced the diet of the British. These studies have immensely contributed in the coverage of the factors determining the choice diet. Consumer perceptions and attitudes towards their diets say a lot about them. 3. Theory Food is certainly one of the most favorite obsessions in human beings. We spend most of our time physically and mentally preoccupied with it.   Human beings must procure, select, prepare and consume food so as to sustain their daily growth. However, the manner in which they do so reflect a complex interrelationship and interaction between individuals, culture and the society.   (Anderson, 2005).   Eating has implications on how we relate to the larger culture and what we think of ourselves.   It is experienced differently through cultural traditions and forms an important part of our daily lifestyle. It presents a lot about our culture and defines where we come. Human beings are believed to differ from cultural habits in most regions in the world. The importance of food in understanding the cultural background lies precisely in its infinite variability. These variables include ingredients used, ways of preservation, preference, customs and beliefs (Conner Armitage, 2002). While anthropological study may arrange these variables systematically and provide a convincing explanation as to why the go together, the research posed here uses culture in relating these variables. 4. Research analysis Studies have confirmed that particular foods can inspire vivid memories (Carole Esterik, 1999). For example, people tend to develop great affection for foods taken during their childhood. This is because it reminds them of a particular time when life was less complicated. These memories are important because they provide us with a reflection of who we are. Sometimes, it reminds us of the past struggles against traditions. For instance, immigrant children are fond of shunning their traditional dietary food, and instead embrace the mainstream eating patterns even if the food is not that good. It should be noted that while human beings grow, they begin to craft their own identities separate from that prescribed by the traditions. People change their eating habits as a symbol of differentiating themselves from the roots embedded in their culture. Consequently, what we eat reflects our broader values. How we procure, select, prepare and consume food provides a reflection on what we value. Is economy and self discipline an important value to us? Does it provide us an opportunity to demonstrate our skill? Or is it deliberately simply a rebellion of our values. A simple illustration is with the American government where the current fascination with obscure regional food traditions is a reflection of authenticity and simplicity in the lives of the Americans (Mason Singer, 2006). Different countries and nations associate themselves with certain diets. For example, Italians mainly prefer eating pizza and pasta as their main cultural diet.   Chinese foods are often associated with flavorings such as ginger root, soy sauce and rice. Similarly, wine, lime, tomato and chili pepper are attributed to the Mexican cuisine (Logue, 2004). In Britain, Curry is the most popular food. Britain’s obsession with Indian Curry can be traced back to a time when India was still under British Empire. The fusion between the British and Indian culture is inescapably intertwined. Some of diet that falls in the category of Indian food was developed by British expatriates in India. Other dishes have however resulted from Indian immigration to the UK. Most dishes are now referred to as Indian yet they are a result of the fusion between the British and American Cuisines. This shows complex interrelationship portrayed by the two cultures and hence an important reflection of their cultural historical background. British children eat according to the directives of their guardians or parents. Some parents may at times take their children to fast food restaurants like McDonalds.   However, most of the junky stuff obtained from these restaurants often leads to obesity. A situation characterized by increased mass content which affects both the adults and children. 5. Impact of culture on the choice of food Culture refers to the style of behavior or pattern that a group of people share. Generally, people within the same culture share the same assemblage of food variables while those of different cultures have different assemblage of these variables. As such we find same eating patterns and habits dominating within the same culture while people from different cultures exhibit entirely different eating habits.. It is important to note that these habits are not necessarily homogeneous within the same culture. People of different occupations or classes eat differently. Moreover, different religious sects have different eating codes. The type of occasion may at times determine what we eat. For example, the meal for a daily routine is totally different from that taken when mourning. It is a known fact that people differ in taste and preference. People in various stages of their lives eat differently.   These differences are rooted in evolutionary and genetic heritage. While some of the differences are those of preference, others are downright prescribed. Identifying these differences and relating them to facets of social life is important in understanding the cultural impact of food among individuals in different societies (Gabaccia, 2000). Cultural influences often lead to difference in habitual consumption of foods. However, these influences are amenable to change. For example, immigrants may at times adopt a different diet and eating pattern different from that of the local culture. Dietary change is however not an easy task as it requires alteration in habits built over a lifetime Over hundreds of years, diets have been shaped by the local culture. Foods have immensely contributed in defining the culture and identity of many nations. The Italian, Mexican, Chinese and French foods have evolved independently with unique characteristics. The Southern diet in America has heavily been influenced by French traditions For a long time, food has played a prominent role in the society. It permeates many facets of our daily life. More so, the choice of diet is largely shaped by the socio cultural context and our own cognitive appraisal. This portrays much about our culture and style within the societal context. Generally, our eating habits and preference are often determined by the culture. The cultural environment dictates the type of diet and how they can be eaten. For example, insects and caterpillars are often shunned by most cultures; however, these components form an integral food source in Asian and Latin American countries. 6. Current situation and how these reflect on our identity Today, people eat food with origins in culture different from their own. For instance, In the United States, most of the dishes originated elsewhere yet these dishes have been modified to suit the popularity and taste of the mainstream. In the recent past, there has been increased incorporation of ethnic Cuisines into the diet of Americans. This is a reflection of the adaptability and flexibility of the Americans. Foods from Middle East, Asia and Latin American have also been incorporated into the American diet (Warde et al, 2000). Americans flexibility and adaptability portrayed by the successive generations experimenting with their neighbors’ customary diet illuminate the market place as one of the most important arena for defining our relations and expressing our identities. Americanized foods such as the spaghetti coexist happily with ethnic dishes and creative hybrids. Americans’ multi-ethnic eating is a constant reminder of how ethnic interaction is widespread and mutually enjoyable in the United States. Amid the existing wrangles over tribal differences and immigration, this reveals that the Americans on a basic level are multicultural. 7. Social context Social influences on the type of diet and our eating pattern is not a new phenomenon. The choice of food is influenced by social factors because our eating habits and attitude develop through interaction with others. Quantifying the impact on food intake is however difficult. Social influence on customary diet manifests itself through friendship and families. Dietary traditions vary widely around the globe. Even people from the same cultural background may at time portray different eating patterns. However, it can be associated with hospitality and friendship. While the customary diets vary, being able to share portray a sense of hospitality and friendship. Sharing of customary diets has not only transformed the cuisines of the Americans and Europeans, but also the Asian and African countries. Sharing ethnic diets is a way of sharing culture and this portrays our hospitality and friendship towards other cultures. Research studies from social sciences and psychology have emphasized on a strong relationship on the choice of food, culture and lifestyle. Evaluation of ourselves is easily made basing on the choice of food and brand selection. 8. Conclusion In summary, there are intrinsically no right ways of eating. While it may seem bizarre to others to eat certain types of food, these form part of the integral diet of other cultures. Clearly, the choice of food is largely determined by our culture. How we eat and what we eat reveals a lot about our history and defines who we are. 9. Reference Anderson.E (2005), Everyone eats: understanding food and culture, NYU press Carole.C Esterik.P (1997), Food and culture, Routledge Conner. M. Armitage. C (2002), Applying social psychology: The social psychology of food, Buckingham, Open University Press David, Siumi Sidney (2002), The globalization of Chinese foods, Hawaii, University of Hawaii Press Gabaccia.D (2000), We are what we eat: Ethnic food and the making of Americans, Harvard university press Gabaccia.D Donna R. (1998). We Are What We Eat. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Logue. A.W (2004), The psychology of eating and drinking, New York, Brunner-Routledge Madison.D McFarlin.P (2009), What we eat when we eat alone, Gibbs smith Mason.J Singer.P (2006), The way we eat: why our food choices matter, Rodale books publishers Rozin. P (2006), The integration of biological, social, cultural and psychological influence on food choice, Wallingford, Oxfordshire CABI publishers. Teff. K. Engelman. K (1996), Palatability and dietary restraint: Effect on cephalic phase insulin release in women. Journal of Physiology Behavior, 60(2), 567–573 Warde, Alan, Martens, Lydia (2000), Eating Out. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Critically appraise the value of the concept of 'inequality regimes' Essay

Critically appraise the value of the concept of 'inequality regimes' for understanding workplace inequalities - Essay Example They pathetically fail to understand the complex and intricate connectivity and linkages between the traditional and largely popular instruments of inequality that is gender, race and class (Ozbilgin ed. 2009). The notion of ‘inequality regimes’ exposes the intersectionality of the traditional modes and models of oppression resting on the foundations of gender, race and class (Acker 2006). The astuteness of this concept originates from its premise that the varied and isolated modes of oppression are in fact interrelated and connected, thereby perpetuating and propagating a system of oppression that escapes correction and rectification by virtue of its intricacy and cumbersomeness (Acker 2006). Once the co-relatedness of the individual and discrete forms of oppression and inequality is established and realized, it paves the way for identifying and isolating the barriers and impediments to the task of establishing equality at the workplace (Collins 2000). The limiting factor associated with the concept of inequality regimes is that it delves and elaborates on the inequalities rampant and practised at the workplace. According to Acker (2006), â€Å"inequality regimes are the interlocked practices and processes that result in continuing inequalities in all work organizations.† A more plausible line of argument would be that the realization and cognition of a situation of inequality is always associated with the complete life experience of women and coloured people (Acker 2000). The complete life experience includes both the professional and domestics life situations of the affected individuals and groups. However, pragmatically speaking, workplace represents the most appropriate venue for studying inequalities because not only a wide range of inequalities originate in organizations, but professional hubs also present a plausible and unique opportunity to trace the genesis and proliferation of inequalities in a

The Problems and Challenges in Developing Teams Research Paper

The Problems and Challenges in Developing Teams - Research Paper Example This requires extensive group activities and teamwork. Moreover, multinational organizations also require collaborating efforts of people located in a wide variety of geographic locations. Thus teamwork may also constitute people belonging to different nations. Thus it is seen that the overall performance and productivity of organizations fall short in the absence of proper management and development of teams. The present project discusses the situation and condition of teamwork and development at British Airways which is one of the largest airlines in England. The organization has confronted with challenging situations on account of the varying environmental and business conditions but has successfully overcome hurdles through proper and effective teamwork and development. Organizational Analysis- Context and Scenario leading to the problems of Team Roles and Team Development in the organization British Airways demonstrated tremendous failures in its self managed teams during the 19 90s. This is because of the fact that its team members lacked proper people management skills (McCann, â€Å"Introduction†). Following are the details of the context and scenario in British Airways which group work and team development failed. Person Sex Age Position Character AB M 35 Project Manager Autocratic leadership style that reinforces decisions and choices. Sociable, Extrovert. Pays little heed to people’s concerns, issues, views or suggestions CD M 32 Software Developer Highly knowledgeable and skilled worker, friendly yet introverted, conscientious; prefers to interact with computers rather than with people EF M 30 Software Developer Medium level of knowledge of technical aspects, people oriented, quick learner, extrovert and bubbly. Good listener and puts work first and self-aspects later GH M 28 Software Developer Unsociable, prefers to work on his own terms without being guided or directed; Concerned with his won work objectives and individual task accomp lishments rather than the tasks of the group at large. The above table mentions the characteristics of the different team members working under a single project manager. The main implication on the manager is the fact the members differ distinctly from one another in terms of their nature and behaviors. On the other hand, the manager himself displays an authoritarian autocratic style of leadership which members find difficult to handle. The fact that he imposes his own decisions and choices with regards to work activities and strategies is crucial for the team which comprises of members who are adequately knowledgeable and prefers to work as per their own understanding and decisions. Here, arises another problem.  Ã‚  

The World That Trade Created Essay Example for Free

The World That Trade Created Essay The topic of The World That Trade Created by Kenneth Pomeranz and Steven Topik is mostly dealing with society, culture and economy. The book takes place all over the world from 1400 to present. The time periods are so interesting because it relates to the modern day economy. It also shapes how our economy came to be, where these ideal strategies for industry and etcetera originated- the cultural and traditional background of societies first using these tactics- and an overall extensive, lively history of economics. The modern day results in success and that is helpful for readers living within the new age society. Corporations are widely discussed today and take on a big role in the growing debate about the role of corporations should have in society today. â€Å"Why did the seventeenth- century Europeans create the worlds first corporations?† demanded Pomeranz and Topik. â€Å"looking back from 2005 the answer seems obvious: the corporation seems like such a logical way to do business..† but corporations had a violent birth. The first corporations didn’t have a permanent life, nor did they self-liquidate. Other Europeans, like- Middle East, India, South East Asia, Japan and China all through the eighteenth century had no need for the corporate form. Northern Europeans would need to seize and fortify and arm ships to patrol the waters, to be in play with the Asians. Europe however couldn’t create monopolies. After years of conflict and many revolts by shareholders who wanted the company to wind down rather than grow, the company was re-chartered rather than liquidated after twenty-one years, the directors got the flexibility to lower dividends (amongst partners) when they needed to build up capital, and Dutch investors learned to operate like shareholders today.†Ã¢â‚¬  The idea of companies that took care of their own protections costs did not last, of course.† â€Å"by the 1830’s all these companies had collapsed, and their colonies had been taken over by governments-just as a new era of capital-intensive industry was about to create more productive uses or the corporate form that they had pioneered.† The World That Trade Created is a history of society, culture, and economics. It taps in tp the painful and brutal truth of our global economy system. Modern world emerges with varied foods, advanced societies, a background of poverty and violence and monopolies and so on and so forth. The society aspect touches base on the trade of slaves. These slaves would mine necessities like gold, silver, cotton, tobacco, coffee, tea, sugar and rubber on plantations in different regions. Culture like Christianity came ion hand with the law. Culture and central planning were works in progress acting on one another’s evolutionary development. The economy of it all deals with so many trade tactics. It helps readers understand that economic activity cannot be divorced from social and cultural contexts. It was made from flesh and blood to its relevance today. The relevancy of the books information today outlines moral economy and how its being held somewhat fair today. It also relates to market economy to understand our world. Nature and culture continue to transform economics today. As much understanding there is of economics it is still playing out and unwinding today. It continues to have situations that need fixing and is still being debated over today. Economy ultimately impacts society.

Use of Imagery in Chopin’s The Awakening Essay -- Chopin Awakening

Use of Imagery in Chopin’s The Awakening Several passages in The Awakening struck me because of their similar imagery—a bird, wings, and nudity. The first passage I looked at is in Chapter 9 where Edna Pontellier has a vision of a naked man â€Å"standing beside a desolate rock† (47) on a beach who is watching a bird fly away. This image was evoked by a one particular piece that Mme Ratignolle plays which Edna significantly calls â€Å"Solitude. † Apparently Edna frequently envisions certain images while listening to music: â€Å"Musical strains, well rendered, had a way of evoking pictures in her mind† (47). Listening to this piece Edna envisions a solitary, naked man with an â€Å"attitude [†¦] of hopeless resignation† (47). This scene presents solitude in many different ways. The figure standing alone and naked near the â€Å"desolate rock† illustrates the mood of solitude and resignation. I was reminded of that scene at the end of the novel in chapter 39 where we find a description of a very similar situation. Now it is Edna Pontellier herself standing alone on the beach at Grand Isle. She takes ...

Black Women and the Abolition of Slavery

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

How We Have Bubble Gum Today

In the early 1900s, Americans could not get enough of the modern-day variation on the lip-smacking confection called bubble or chewing gum popularized by Thomas Adams. The popular treat has a long history and has come in many forms over time. Earliest Record of Chewing Gum A variation of chewing gum has been used by ancient civilizations and cultures around the world. It is believed that the earliest evidence we have of chewing gum dates back to the Neolithic  period. Archeologists discovered  6,000-year-old chewing gum made from  birch bark tar, with tooth imprints  in Finland. The tar from which the gums were made is believed to have antiseptic properties and other medicinal benefits. Ancient Cultures   Several ancient cultures used chewing gum regularly. It is known that the ancient Greeks chewed mastiche, a chewing gum made from the resin of the mastic tree. The ancient Mayans chewed chicle, which is the sap of the sapodilla tree. Modernization of Chewing Gum In addition to the ancient Greeks and Mayans, chewing gum can be traced back to a variety of civilizations around the world, including the Eskimos, South Americans, Chinese and Indians from South Asia. The modernization and commercialization of this product mainly took place in the United States. Native Americans chewed resin made from the sap of spruce trees. In 1848, American John B. Curtis picked up on this practice and made and sold the first commercial chewing gum called the State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum. Two years later, Curtis started selling flavored paraffin gums, which became more popular than spruce gums. In 1869, Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna introduced Thomas Adams to chicle, as a rubber substitute. It did not take off as a use for rubber, instead, Adams cut chicle into strips and he marketed it as Adams New York Chewing Gum in 1871. Potential Health Benefits Gum can be credited for several health benefits, such as potentially increasing cognition and brain function after chewing the gum. An additive and sugar substitute xylitol has been found to reduce cavities and plaque in teeth.   Another known effect of chewing gum is that it increases saliva production. Increased saliva can be a good way to keep the mouth fresh, which is helpful for reducing halitosis (bad breath). Increased saliva production has also been found to be helpful following surgery involving the digestive system and for the possible reduction of digestive disorders, such as GERD, also known as acid reflux. Timeline of Gum in Modern Times Date Chewing Gum Innovation December 28, 1869 William Finley Semple became the first person to patent a chewing gum, U.S. patent No. 98,304 1871 Thomas Adams patented a machine for the manufacture of gum 1880 John Colgan invented a way to make chewing gum taste better for a longer period of time while being chewed 1888 Adams chewing gum called Tutti-Frutti became the first chew to be sold in a vending machine. The machines were located in a New York City subway station. 1899 Dentyne gum was created by New York druggist Franklin V. Canning 1906 Frank Fleer invented the first bubble gum called Blibber-Blubber gum. However, the bubble blowing chew was never sold. 1914 Wrigley Doublemint brand was created. William Wrigley, Jr. and Henry Fleer were responsible for adding the popular mint and fruit extracts to a chicle chewing gum 1928 Walter Diemer, employee of Fleers company, invented the successful pink colored Double Bubble bubble gum. 1960s U.S. manufacturers switched to butadiene-based synthetic rubber as a base for gum, because it was cheaper to manufacture