The Shocked and the Saved

$4.95

Add to cart

5 word format

document in english

history 500-1789

school essay

published 19/10/2007

review : not yet assessed

level : Advanced

requested 1 times

Author's resume

Selection criteria

Summary

World history is full of brutality. Wars and conquests, rapes and massacres; savage displays of the primitive monster man has always been and always will be. Yet more disgusting than any military operation is the mutilation of religion in the face of political gain. Murderers claiming religious vindication, men and women cleansing themselves of blame in so-called acts of faith and holy bloodshed. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, while narrowly averted, was simply another violent solution to the oppression of English Catholics that had steadily worsened throughout the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The optimism of the new Scottish ruler was evident in his attempts to satisfy both the Catholic and Protestant populations of his new sovereignty. “I will never allow in my conscience that the blood of any man shall be shed for diversity of opinions in religion,” wrote King James I in an early letter to Robert Cecil (Fraser 38). But the desire for religious supremacy loosely disguised as the desire for religious tolerance is not so easily satisfied by words and empty promises, and the stupidity of King James nearly cost him his life and lives of Parliament. The engineers of the Gunpowder Plot earned their infamy as the first modern terrorists. However, defining terrorism is a subjective process, and the question remains: was the Gunpowder Plot an act of terrorism or a justified act of desperation? Four centuries of debate have proven the former. The Gunpowder Plot seeped into historical texts not only as the first terrorist act of its kind, but as a defining example of terrorism and the difficulty of assigning such a label.

World history is full of brutality. Wars and conquests, rapes and massacres; savage displays of the primitive monster man has always been and always will be.
It is important to remember the far-reaching effects of terrorism.
The original conspirators designed the Gunpowder Plot on the grounds that the impact would devastate more than Parliament alone.
It all came down to an evaluation of the wickedness of Parliament and King James I.
King James I, from a papist standpoint, was not the best situation.
The conspirators did not want to be responsible for the deaths of innocents, especially for the Catholic Parliament members who were risking their lives already by arguing against anti-Catholic legislation.
The second element of the Gunpowder Plot that fascinated King James I was the sheer cruelty of its nature.
Terrorism has existed since the dawn of civilization, since humans learned of their capabilities to rule, and consequently, of their capabilities to be oppressed.