My Electronic Dictionary is Very Important to Me Essay

My Electronic Dictionary is Very Important to Me - Essay Example Chomsky continued that he â€Å"can find definitions for four or five words in one minute†. As an international student, the author understands and agree with Chomsky love of words. Knowing the meaning of various new words is essential for learning proper English. It is impossible to carry around a huge dictionary with me all the time. However, an electronic dictionary is something that helps me avoid all of the inconveniences. Everyone can benefit from the use of an electronic dictionary because â€Å"students and scholars of language, the electronic versions open up to our possibilities for the exploitation of dictionary texts that the print versions could not begin to offer". The reporter highlights that  "I use it to learn new words and I am not shy about using it in the conversations. How can I communicate effectively with people around me if I do not know the meaning of the words they say? I am very happy that I finally purchased an electronic dictionary. The dictionary is my constant companion and is always with me always. In many conversations, it helped me to find the right terms to use and not to make a fool of myself by saying something inappropria te. While my electronic dictionary is easy to use, the purchase of it was not quite as easy One day, when I went shopping with my parents to one of the department stores in our neighborhood, I saw an electronic English dictionary that was destined to be mine. It was well designed and offered amazing features. These characteristics caught my attention immediately. The dictionary, literally, mesmerized me with its smooth silvery case. I could not divert my eyes from it. I went closer to the shelf where it laid to have a better look at it. The list of available features in the dictionary was no less astonishing than its looks."

Case Study Analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Analysis - Case Study Example He was also to pay the interest with respect to terms of the interest of 12% as they had agreed. Sue has every right under the law of pursuing the money Peter owes her. According to the terms of their agreements, Peter was supposed to clear Sue’s debt by 1st of July. Since the date that Peter was expected to settle the debt had come, Sue had a legal right to request Peter to pay the cash he owed Sue (Emerson 2004, p.18). Similarly, Peter had the responsibility of honoring the terms of their agreement. If Peter would fail to honor this agreement, Sue has a legal right to pursue Peter to settle the debt through the legal processes. However, it was wise for Sue to contact Peter and ask him to settle the debt. If Peter fails to honor the agreement, Sue has every right and ground to follow the legal process so that she can be paid her debt. The legal process entails even suing Peter. The bottom line of this issue is Sue as the lender has every right to request Peter to settle the remaining debt (MacIntyre 2010, p.13). Similarly, Peter has the responsibility of honoring their agreement by paying Sue 5,000 that remained as well as the interest. On this scenario, Peter has repaid Sue the sum of 25,000 only. This implies that he has paid the principal amount only less the interest. This is contrary to their agreement. Peter was supposed to pay both the principal amount and interest on 1st July. This implies that he has breached the agreement they had made. As per the rights of the lender encompassed in the common business law, an agreement is a contract (Keenan and Riches 2009, p.37). Once the two have entered in a contract, it is unlawful to breach the contract. Peter failing to pay the interest is breaching the contract between him and Sue. According to the common business laws, breaching of a contract is an offense. This is implies that when it comes to contract breaching one is liable of facing the

Human Resource Management in Business Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Management in Business Essay ‘Managing People’ Describe how your organisation obtains the co-operation of its employees through the contract of employment and employee involvement techniques. Employee Co-operation Contracts of employment An employment contract is a written legal document that lays out binding terms and conditions of employment between an employee and an employer. The employers in ZARA need to makw sure that their employees are aware of what rights and responsibilities they have as workers in ZARA. This contract also includes: The salary rate that is going to be paid to the employees. When they will be getting their salaries What deductions are going to be made from their salaries like income tax. Contractual entitlements These are outlines within the contract so the employee and employer both know what is expected of each other when working in an organization. Things like pay might include the salary amount that has to be given by the employer to the employee and when it is supposed to be paid. Holiday pays might also be included in this depending on what kind of job it is. These contractual entitlements also include the number of hours that the employee has to work, this also includes over time. Type of employment of the employee will be comprised in the entitlement. This can either be temporary or fixed employment. The employees working in ZARA also need to be aware of these contractual entitlements so that that they know what to expect from the employers and vice versa. Firms set some disciplinary rules in the place that they are going to be working in and need to be followed at all times. Employees need to make sure that they follow the rules the employers have set for them until they are working for that firm. Pension benefits are also given to the employee after they leave the organization. These pensions are paid to the employees month after month, the amount is discussed before hand and depending on the employee’s income history and as well as their age and how long they have served in the firm. Employee and employer rights Employers in Zara need to make sure that they are following the laws of all employee rights in their state. There are some employee rights that need to be followed. Some of these are: All employees need to make sure that they are getting paid the equal sum of money. Employees need to make sure that they aren’t doing any illegal work or something that would be a subject of discrimination. Employers in the firm need to make sure that the employees are not dismissed for an unfair reason. Employees also should be provided with maternity and paternity pay. To receive redundancy pay is basically a sum of money which is given by an employer to an employee who has been made redundant. Payment is done based on the employee’s rate of pay and length of service. Employees should make sure that they receive an annual leave from their employers within a year’s time without consequences. Employees should be paid at least a minimum wage in the firm. Type of employment contract: Permanent: this is one of the most common types of employment contracts that businesses follow. This employment contract includes things like the amount of pay and terms and conditions which are accepted by both the employee and employer. This type of contract lasts one year and is renewed after each year on employment. Temporary-companies use this contract because it saves them a lot of money and time. This type of contact lasts for only a short period of time. Full time- This is when an employee is asked to work more than 35 hours a week, but it depends on the job description. For example: a sales man in ZARA works from day till night for a long period of time. Part time- This is when an employee works for a little amount of hours instead of the whole day. For example: there are to employees doing the same job, one works in the night shift and the other in the day shift. Casual- when a firm is in need of employees, they tend to use this kind of employment contract. This has an advantage and as well as a disadvantage for  the employees as they might have less work to do compared to the other employees but they might not know when they are getting their next job. Zara uses full time employment contracts with their staff. Disciplinary procedures Disciplinary procedures are a set way for an employer to deal with disciplinary issues. They should include a disciplinary hearing where you’re given a chance to explain your side of the story. Grievance procedures This is a problem that could occur between the employee and employer, it is a complaint that they could have against each other for something that either of them has done wrong. Union Membership This is when a group of staff or workers is formed into a labor union. These unions play a big role in the firm as they can talk about issues between each other. An example is when there is a problem with the staffs pay amount of even the working conditions. Codes of behavior This is basically a set of conventional principles that are considered binding on the employer/employee. This is mainly about what is acceptable behavior in the firm. Employee involvement techniques Companies might use these techniques in order to get the staff more involved in decisions being made for the organization. This may also motivate the staff as they would feel they are also part of the firm and not just ordinary staff working there. Membership of work groups Firm’s employers might have groups of employees where all the workers work together. This can be advantageous as the workers might have more ideas in the group. There are different types of work groups in firms, For example: Board groups and work councils Quality Circles Intra-organizational groups Suggestion schemes This helps the employee’s involvement in the organization. Employers make sure that he staff feels like they are part of the firm and that their ideas and suggestions matter. Staffs ideas sometimes make big changes in the organization and benefit them in many ways. To motivate the employees more, the employers give them rewards and prizes to keep them thinking about more and more ideas to improve the company, by doing this, it will motivate employees to work better and harder. How Zara obtains Employee Corporation? The rules, regulations and rights are followed by both the employees and employers in ZARA. ZARA has also explained the disciplinary procedures to the employees and as well as their employers. Employees are involved in the decision makings of ZARA and they are taken into consideration. Working together in work groups also takes place in ZARA. Finally, suggestion schemes are mainly monitored by the firm as this gives each and every employee a chance to share their ideas for ZARA. Devolved authority and responsibility Getting the employees more involved in the firms decision making enables the employees to do better work and be motivated to do it with their maximum capabilities. But this can also be a disadvantage because: The employees would want extra pay if their ideas work and take place in the firm. Employees might get stressed out as they would have more work load on their heads. Open communications This is when there is two way communications in the firm between the employees and the employers. Formal This is when formal communication between the employers and employees happen. For example: the employers are discussing business matters by the use of  presentations or letters or even emails. Informal This kind of communication happens in an informal way between the staff and the employers. An example of this is: when the staff are chatting with their employers when going home, does not necessarily have to be about business but can be just about other matters. Top down This happens when any information about the firm is given from the top (owners or employers) to the bottom (managers and staff). An example of this is: when an important change comes to the business and the information is carried from the owners to the managers. Bottom up This is the opposite of top down, and information is given from the staff and managers to the top owners of the firm. Lateral This is communication which is done between the employees of the business but with those who are at the same level but different sections of the company. Types of communications Communication is basically the transferring of a message from the sender to the receiver, who understands the message. There are 3 ways of communication and these are: Verbal Verbal communication can be face to face talks, telephone calls, video conferencing, meetings, etc. There are both advantages and disadvantages of verbal communication. One advantage is that information is given out quicker. There is also a high chance where the feedbacks is given immediately and not have to wait for it where as in when a meeting is happening the employers are not sure that all the employees are listening or has understood all the information. This could be of an disadvantage for both the employee and the employer. Written Written communication is a type of communication method and may include memos, letters, reports, emails, etc. When communication is written, it can become of evidence in the future if needed. For example: emails that are  sent between the employee and employer can be kept for the future if any problem occur in the future. This type of communication can also be a disadvantage because the same message can be sent to a large number of people at once and all those people might not read the message immediately and therefore a feedback or reply may be given late. Visual Visual communication can be a form of Charts, firms, posters, etc. This kind of communication can be an advantage as this might be a catch to the eye. The disadvantage of this is there might be no feedback immediately and this kind of communication is not used in all firms because the employees might not understand diagrams and charts. These types of communications are used in ZARA. The employees in ZARA would use verbal communication as it is the easiest method and since they deal in customers, it would train them to become more confident when talking face to face and on the phone. Organizational Culture (ethos, values, mission) Organizational culture refers to the values, practices and behaviors that make up a unique and social environment within an organization. This can be expressed in a number of ways, including the ethos of the firm. An ethos is a code of conduct that a firm basically has. This might be set out in a published set of values or a mission statement so that employees, customers and other stakeholder are aware of what the firm believes in and feels is important. National accreditation (Investors in People (IPP) This type of structure is mostly used in businesses so that all the employees in the firm can be involved with the schemes. Investors in people are one of the well-known awards and also known as (IIP). This can be achieved when employees are able to invest on one of the biggest assets- people . This has mainly 3 rules: 1. Plan, which basically means developing strategies to improve performance. 2. Do, which means taking action to improve the performance. 3. Review, which need to be evaluated and used to improve performance too. Charter Mark and International Standards Organization (ISO)) This is a national award which has helped public service firms, For example: public  schools and hospitals, to keep developing and improving their quality of service for customers and this can also be done to involve employees in decision making.

Tourette Syndrome Essay -- essays research papers

Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by tics; involuntary, rapid, sudden movements or vocalizations that occur repeatedly in the same way. Diagnostic criteria include: both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics present at some time, although not necessarily simultaneously, the occurrence of tics many times a day (usually in bouts) nearly everyday or intermittently throughout the span of more than one year; period changes in the number, frequently, type and location of the tics, and in the waxing and waning of their severity. Symptoms can sometimes disappear for weeks and or months at a time; and the onset is before the age of 18.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to the Tourette syndrome Association there are not many schools in the nation that are familiar with Tourette syndrome. However, even though they remain few in number, more schools and educators are becoming familiar with Tourette Syndrome and are willing to provide the special care and attention that TS children need to enhance their learning ability and ease the emotional stress they often experience during school. Tourette Syndrome is something that should be researched and discussed in every school. No child should be turned away because they have different learning abilities. There is a number of challenges teachers face while teaching students with TS. For example, establishing the proper learning environment. It is important for teachers to know that many of the children with...

Characteristics seen in Hamlet throughout the play Essay

I have been studying the text of Hamlet and the following characteristics are what he shows throughout the play. We see that Hamlet can be ‘Nationalist’. He is being nationalist when he is criticising Denmark and says it is a drinking country which is saying he does not trust them much. He is also like this when he says that Norway is robbing the land from Denmark, so this is then proving that Claudius is weak and so they might as well lose all their land. Hamlet is being very nationalist, when he says that Denmark is like a prison. This means that he feels as if he has no freedom to do what you want to do. Hamlet can be loving towards his friends and family easily, except to his uncle. He can be loving in a friendly way towards Horatio. He shows love towards his mother all throughout the play. He is being loving because he does not want his mother to flirt and have sex with his uncle so close after his father’s death. Hamlet says he is disgraced and when he confronts his mother in her bedroom, he asks her questions about his uncle. He then sees movements behind the curtains and thinks that it is his uncle who is too scared to face him, and so he draws his sword and stabs the person behind the curtain only to find out that it was Ophelia’s father (Polonius). He then plays around with his uncle and he acts as if he is mad and he will not tell him where the body is. I think Hamlet killed the person behind the curtain because he thought it was time to get revenge for his father, by killing his uncle. So this was the right thing to do, but only if he definitely knew who was behind the curtain in his mother’s bedroom. He is seriously in love with Ophelia, and both she and Hamlet admit their love for each other. Hamlet expresses his love for Ophelia on page 187 Act 5 Scene 1: â€Å"Forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. † Earlier on in the play, Hamlet shows his love for Ophelia his girlfriend. The second time he expresses his love for her was at her funeral. This was in front of everyone and then a fight ensued between Hamlet and Laertes. Ophelia shows her love for Hamlet on page 84(Act 1 Scene 3). She also tells everyone that Hamlet has said he loves her. Hamlet is very religious and he goes to a Protestant school in Wittenberg, but on the other hand he is a Catholic because when he is going to kill his uncle in a religious place he realises he will go to heaven. This was on page 144. Act 3 Scene 3: â€Å"Now might I do it pat, now ‘a is a-praying†¦ I, his sole son, do this same villain send To Heaven†¦ † We see that when Hamlet finds the ghost he is very shocked by it and yet he still does what it says. He tells his friends that it is real and to believe in it, which also proves he is religious. Throughout the play, he uses two different religions, which are found to be; Protestant and Catholic. Hamlet can be very sarcastic and intelligent in the play especially when Polonius asks him what he is reading, and he replies with â€Å"Words! † This then leads Polonius to start quizzing Hamlet on ting about him and Ophelia. Therefore, the answers that Hamlet gives Polonius he then goes and tells them to King. Due to the answers, that Hamlet has given leads to Polonius to say it proves that Hamlet is mad. So the King and Polonius set up a trap for Hamlet to fall into by getting Ophelia to ask Hamlet questions, but Hamlet plays smart and so he gives weird answers which leads people to think he is mad and then he uses it against his uncle at the end of the play. Hamlet is also intelligent when he is being sent to England by boat because he reads the Kings notes on what they have to do to him and then he changes the notes to what he wants them to say, so this is Hamlet playing smart. He then seals the envelopes, by using his ring to put an indent into the wax on the page so it looks as if it was from the King. The page where he finds out about the letter was; Page 153 Act 3 scene 4: â€Å"There’s letters sealed†¦ Let it work. † At this time, he was talking to his mother. Hamlet is also intelligent when he gets the actors to act out the death of his father. By doing this he can find out if his uncle is guilty or innocent. By doing this and constantly taking to the King, he is using his educated mind to find out the truth. Therefore, throughout this play we see that Hamlet can use a lot of emotions and characteristics. When Hamlet uses them, they are used with power and forcefully to make an effect on who ever he is talking to. He makes an impact most of the time except from when everyone thinks he is mad they just think that he is talking rubbish. His intelligence brings out the best in him especially when he gets the play put on for his uncle. So in my opinion Hamlet is smart and very intelligent.

The Myth Of God s Covenant With Man - 1384 Words

While the Old Testament focuses much on God’s covenant with man—starting first with the patriarch Abraham—the book of Genesis establishes the foundation for such concepts as the forbidden, original sin, and perhaps the most intriguing, evil. This latter presents itself early in the text, most notably through God’s creation of the Tree of Knowledge. Some scholars have questioned the reasoning behind the tree, stating that if God knew the outcome of Adam and Eve’s decision, then why allow its existence. Similar arguments arise when addressing the murder of Able by his brother, Cain. There is, however, an explanation for God’s inclusion of evil in the Garden and throughout the remainder of the Old Testament. God’s allowance of evil in the book of Genesis—while simultaneously offering man free will—acts as a test, one rooted in hope, loneliness, and love. The operative words, and the ones that help prove the above argument, come from the first chapter of Genesis. When God says, â€Å"Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness,† He tells the reader two things: one, He shares in man’s emotional construction, and two—that our image resembles the creator (Genesis 1:26). â€Å"In our image†Ã¢â‚¬â€the operative words—is the basis for all of God’s tests, meaning that He, knowing what is in himself, knows what is in man: a kind of genetic apprenticeship. God’s creation of the Tree of Knowledge is man’s first test, not of free will, but of man’s likeliness of imitating his creator. ByShow MoreRelatedEverlasting Covenant: Isaiah 24: 1-51479 Words   |  6 PagesEverlasting Covenant – Isaiah 24: 1-5 God does not enter into any relationship without entering into a covenant. A covenant must consist of a relationship between humankind and God; and, it is eternal, which is why it is called an everlasting covenant. The everlasting covenant can only be broken if man fails to maintain an intimate and personal relationship with God or chooses separation from God through sin, as was the case with Israel. Their hearts had strayed and many sins entered their livesRead MoreSummary Of The Lord Is Salvation 1212 Words   |  5 Pagesa great leader from the bible he really shows how being faithful to God will end in complete success for you. I think it important to note, that just because he is a man in the bible and known as a great leader, Joshua was only human he let doubt settle in at times and wasn’t as some would say â€Å"super human† he had faults just like us and was not perfect. The book of Joshua is a great example that Yahweh is a promise-keeping God even if He works on His own time and in His own way. For example theRead MoreEssay about The Flood of Noah and Gilgamesh1616 Words   |  7 Pagespeople believe that either â€Å"Genesis was copied from an earlier Babylonian story, or the Gilgamesh myth was copied from an earlier Hebrew story, or both were copied from a common source that predates them both (Robinson).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many similarities between the Noah flood story and the Gilgamesh flood story. In both stories, the divine are annoyed with humanity. In Genesis, God notices that man has become sinful and wicked in their actions and their thoughts. In Gilgamesh, the divine assemblyRead MoreArgument1263 Words   |  6 PagesLanguage Am I Speaking Now? After becoming a Christian every person is granted a spiritual gift through the Holy Spirit. It is in these gifts one’s talents and abilities inside and out of the church are magnified tenfold to be used for the glory of God. Although some would deny the actuality of the spiritual gifts all together most would agree the existence of such gifts as wisdom, teaching, leading or compassion. However it is with the more controversial gifts that most evangelical Christians haveRead MoreThe Nature And Activity Of God Essay2261 Words   |  10 PagesReading for Week # 4 Question 1: What did I learn about the nature and activity of God? I don’t generally believe that God speaks directly to me, but this summer some things have happened to me that cannot be explained except to say some type of divine intervention took place. One of these things that happened was God changed my long held view that I had. I myself was once a young earth creationist even though my father (a retired Southern Baptist minister), did not believe in a strict interpretationRead MoreSignificance Of Christ s Resurrection Essay1630 Words   |  7 Pagesthe course of human history as regarding to the communion between man and God the Father. A necessary step in the reconciliation process between man’s sinful nature and God as a just judge. So it is not whether it is one or another, historical or theological. Whether the audience is believer or non-believer. A proper, biblical understanding of Christ’s resurrection serves as a foundational truth for those who root genuine faith in God. Moreover, it is also the same faith that believes in the work thatRead MoreThe Purpose of the Biblical Flood narrative1977 Words   |  8 Pageswritings and stories which address not only myth, main historical events and laws, but also those that follow the Israelites unique relationship with God. The first book of the Old Testament is known as Genesis, which is highly concerned with the world’s creation and its initial stages. It is also the origin of the biblical Flood Narrative concerning Noah and the Ark. The story is characterised by a man that is instructed to build an ark under the guidance of God, and take with him family members andRead MoreLiving Together Unmarried4414 Words   |  18 Pagesday. While many pe ople may fantasize about that perfect wedding day with the perfect dress or tux and a decadent cake, most aren’t ready to commit to what comes after. Some call it living in sin, others call it living in bliss, but these days it s almost expected that a couple will live together without marriage. Cohabitation, once rare, is now the norm. Filipino family life has changed drastically as marriage is losing ground and more couples live together without tying the knot. Instead of usingRead MoreChapter Summary: The Bible Among the Myths Essay5414 Words   |  22 PagesIntroduction Oswalt first learned about the issues in â€Å"The Bible Among the Myths† while taking a class taught by Dennis Kinlaw at Asbury Theological Seminary. His interest in the subject has grown since with graduate study and his own classes which he taught. William F. Albright, his students, and G. Ernest Wright led the rethinking of the evolutionary paradigm within the philosophy of Idealism. Although they believed the differences between the ways the Israelites thought and their neighbor’sRead More Roots of Anti-Semitism Essay5756 Words   |  24 PagesNOT MY PEOPLE,’ THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED CHILDREN OF THE LIVING GOD,quot; †¦GENTILES, WHO DID NOT STRIVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HAVE ATTAINED IT, THAT IS, RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH FAITH; BUT ISRAEL, WHO DID STRIVE FOR THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS BASED ON THE LAW, DID NOT SUCCEED IN FULFILLING THAT LAW†¦ [ROMANS 9] quot;In proclaiming his Christian message Paul stressed that the Jewish nation had been rejected by God, and the new Covenant had superseded the old,quot; said David Cohn-Sherbok, in his book

Scientific and Social Definitions of Race

Its a common belief that race can be broken down into three categories: Negroid, Mongoloid and Caucasoid. But according to science, thats not so. While the American concept of race took off in the late 1600s and persists even today, researchers now argue that there’s no scientific basis for race. So, what exactly is race, and what are its origins? The Difficulty of Grouping People Into Races According to John H. Relethford, author of The Fundamentals of Biological Anthropology, race â€Å"is a group of populations that share some biological characteristics†¦.These populations differ from other groups of populations according to these characteristics.† Scientists can divide some organisms into racial categories easier than others, such as those which remain isolated from one another in different environments. In contrast, the race concept doesn’t work so well with humans. That’s because not only do humans live in a wide range of environments, they also travel back and forth between them. As a result, there’s a high degree of gene flow among people groups that make it hard to organize them into discrete categories. Skin color remains a primary trait Westerners use to place people into racial groups. However, someone of African descent may be the same skin shade as someone of Asian descent. Someone of Asian descent may be the same shade as someone of European descent. Where does one race end and another begin? In addition to skin color, features such as hair texture and face shape have been used to classify people into races. But many people groups cannot be categorized as Caucasoid, Negroid or Mongoloid, the defunct terms used for the so-called three races. Take Native Australians, for instance. Although typically dark-skinned, they tend to have curly hair which is often light colored. â€Å"On the basis of skin color, we might be tempted to label these people as African, but on the basis of hair and facial shape they might be classified as European,† Relethford writes. â€Å"One approach has been to create a fourth category, the ‘Australoid.’† Why else is grouping people by race difficult? The concept of race posits that more genetic variation exists interracially than intra-racially  when the opposite is true. Only about 10 percent of variation in humans exists between the so-called races. So, how did the concept of race take off in the West, particularly in the United States? The Origins of Race in America The America of the early 17th century was in many ways more progressive in its treatment of blacks than the country would be for decades to come. In the early 1600s, African Americans could trade, take part in court cases and acquire land. Slavery based on race did not yet exist. â€Å"There was really no such thing as race then,† explained anthropologist Audrey Smedley, author of Race in North America: Origins of a Worldview, in a 2003 PBS interview. â€Å"Although ‘race’ was used as a categorizing term in the English language, like ‘type’ or ‘sort’ or ‘kind, it did not refer to human beings as groups.† While race-based slavery wasn’t a practice, indentured servitude was. Such servants tended to be overwhelmingly European. Altogether, more Irish people lived in servitude in America than Africans. Plus, when African and European servants lived together, their difference in skin color did not surface as a barrier. â€Å"They played together, they drank together, they slept together†¦The first mulatto child was born in 1620 (one year after the arrival of the first Africans),† Smedley noted. On many occasions, members of the servant class—European, African and mixed-race—rebelled against the ruling landowners. Fearful that a united servant population would usurp their power, the landowners distinguished Africans from other servants, passing laws that stripped those of African or Native American  descent of rights. During this period, the number of servants from Europe declined, and the number of servants from Africa rose. Africans were skilled in trades such as farming, building, and metalwork that made them desired servants. Before long, Africans were viewed exclusively as slaves and, as a result, sub-human. As for Native Americans, they were regarded with great curiosity by the Europeans, who surmised that they descended from the lost tribes of Israel, explained historian Theda Perdue, author of Mixed Blood Indians: Racial Construction in the Early South, in a PBS interview. This belief meant that Native Americans were essentially the same as Europeans. They’d simply adopted a different way of life because they’d been separated from Europeans, Perdue posits. â€Å"People in the 17th century†¦were more likely to distinguish between Christians and heathens than they were between people of color and people who were white†¦,† Perdue said. Christian conversion could make American Indians fully human, they thought. But as Europeans strove to convert and assimilate Natives, all the while seizing their land, efforts were underway to provide a scientific rationale for Africans’ alleged inferiority to Europeans. In the 1800s, Dr. Samuel Morton argued that physical differences between races could be measured, most notably by brain size. Morton’s successor in this field, Louis Agassiz, began â€Å"arguing that blacks are not only inferior but they’re a separate species altogether,† Smedley said. Wrapping Up Thanks to scientific advances, we can now say definitively that individuals such as Morton and Aggasiz are wrong. Race is fluid and thus difficult to pinpoint scientifically. â€Å"Race is a concept of human minds, not of nature,† Relethford writes. Unfortunately, this view hasn’t completely caught on outside of scientific circles. Still, there are signs times have changed. In 2000, the U.S. Census allowed Americans to identify as multiracial for the first time. With this shift, the nation allowed its citizens to blur the lines between the so-called races, paving the way for a future when such classifications no longer exist.​