Tuesday, August 4, 2020
Effects of Caffeine on the Body
Effects of Caffeine on the Body Addiction Addictive Behaviors Caffeine Print Effects of Caffeine on the Body By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on September 25, 2019 Westend61/Getty Images More in Addiction Addictive Behaviors Caffeine Internet Shopping Sex Alcohol Use Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Caffeine is currently the worlds most commonly used drug. And because caffeine is present in so many common foods and drinks, it is easy to forget that it is a drug. It is even an ingredient in beverages and foods that are marketed to kids. But caffeine has significant effects on the body and physical health. Caffeine is a stimulant drugâ"it may surprise you to realize that this is the same type of drug as cocaine and meth, substances we think of as hard drugs. Stimulant drugs work partly by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, which causes the same physical effects as the fight or flight responseâ"speeding up the heart and breathing, making you feel more alert, and increasing muscle tension. And when caffeine is consumed in large quantities, the side effects can range from unpleasant to severe, sometimes even resulting in caffeine overdose. Even when caffeine is consumed in moderation, there is evidence that there are longer-term negative physical effects. This article gives an overview of both the short-term and longer-term effects of caffeine on the body. Effects on the Heart In simple terms, the stimulant effect of caffeine speeds up the heart rate. Research shows that the level of caffeine at which the heart rate is significantly affected is 360 milligrams, the equivalent of about three and a half cups of brewed coffee. For most people who drink caffeine in moderation, this isnt necessarily harmfulâ"but for people who are prone to anxiety, this may increase the likelihood of panic reactions, because caffeine also increases anxiety, and people experiencing panic reactions often worry they are having a heart attack. In higher doses, caffeine can cause more significant effects on the heart by changing the speed and regularity of your heartbeat. This is known as tachycardia or cardiac arrhythmia and can be serious. If you think your heartbeat is abnormal, check with your doctor. It is unclear at the moment whether caffeine increases the risk of cardiovascular problems in the longer term. Several studies have indicated no increased risk for cardiovascular problems in either men or women related to caffeine intake, but current recommendations are that people who already have heart problems should avoid caffeine, as other studies show that these conditions can be exacerbated by caffeine and other stimulants. This includes children with cardiovascular problems, who may be exposed to caffeine through soda and energy drinks. Effects on Blood Pressure Studies have conclusively shown that caffeine consumption raises blood pressure. This effect of caffeine, known as the pressor effect, is evident across age and gender groups, and is particularly pronounced in people with hypertension (high blood pressure). If you are unsure of whether this applies to you, it is a simple process to have your blood pressure checked by your physician and to get their advice on moderating your caffeine intake. Effects on Bone Density High coffee consumption has been linked to osteoporosis in men and women. Consumption of soft drinks in children is associated with lower bone mass, although this seems to be at least partially accounted for by those children who drink a lot of soft drinks also have a lower intake of milk. In older women, several studies have shown a link between high caffeine intake and lower bone density, while in younger women, this seems of particular concern when the women use progesterone-only contraceptives such as depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, or Depo Provera.
Saturday, May 23, 2020
The Effects Of Alcohol On The Human Body - 1292 Words
According to Zhang Lening, John Welte, and William Wieczorekââ¬â¢s article ââ¬Å"The Role Of Aggression-Related Alcohol Expectancies in Explaining the Link between Alcohol and Violent Behaviorâ⬠They state that, ââ¬Å"As Lang (19) observes, expectations and tolerance of deviance in those under the influence of alcohol should increase the likelihood of a positive correlation between drinking and aggressionâ⬠(Lening, Welte, and Wieczorek 466). They inform us that people who drink alcohol are likely to increase their aggression which may be triggered while the consumption of alcohol. Although people enjoy alcohol, itââ¬â¢s harmful towards the human body. They support Maia Szalavitz claim because alcohol is considered to be a recreational drug which she links medication to aggression. At the same time, Ferris Jabr would agree with them because the active ingredients found in alcohol shares similar affects in comparison to pyrethroid; affecting the human body and trigg ering aggressive behavior. When trying to prove violent behavior is caused multiple contributors other than one, Alcohol serves a prime example because the consumption, the ingredients, and social use of the recreational drug are all contributors linked to violent behavior. There are many different combinations of contributors that increase the violent tensions. Aggravation is another form of violent behavior. Typically, aggravation happens when an individual in the process of feeling or being annoyed. Itââ¬â¢s an emotion that builds upShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Alcohol on the Human Body1420 Words à |à 6 PagesThe effects of Alcohol on the Human Body Name: Institution: Introduction Today, alcohol is one of the most common substances that people abuse. It is an addictive drink that has become a popular way of having a good time or relaxing in social gatherings. It is among the most commonly used psychoactive drugs. Alcohol is a popular social phenomenon, yet most societies forget its effects on their bodies. Research has carried out in the recent years on the effects that alcohol consumption is havingRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On The Human Body786 Words à |à 4 Pagesfocuses on alcohol addiction. Alcohol is a flammable liquid which often intoxicates drinks (WebMD, 2016). Examples of the drinks include beer, wine, and other beverages. Component parts of this interest includes what factors that influence or encourage alcohol usage and addiction?, What methods are utilized to decrease oneââ¬â¢s alcohol usage?, and what are the effects of alcohol on the human body? I became curious about this question because I have family members and relatives who suffer from alcohol addictionRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On The Human Body Essay1460 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Effects of Alcohol on the Human Body Alcohol is defined as ââ¬Å"a colorless liquid obtained by fermentation of sugars and starchesâ⬠(The Leading Free Dictionary Site, 2016). The use of alcohol is described in the Bible ââ¬Å"Wine is a mockerâ⬠and ââ¬Å"strong drink is ragingâ⬠Proverbs 20:1 (King James Version). Many frugal businesspersons have capitalized on the use of alcohol in their manufacturing processes and have used alcohol as a preservative in a wide range of household consumer products, and casualRead MoreEffects Of Alcohol On The Human Body1768 Words à |à 8 PagesThere is a growing concern with driving under the influence of drugs, especially marijuana, compared to the ever-present, yet stagnant attention given to alcohol-impaired drivers and the decline in alcohol-related accidents. Of primary importance to the comparison of the two are the different impacts of these substances on the human body, respective frequencies of use and vehicular incidents, and potential control over both. D o these elements affect drivers in the same manner or to the same extentRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On The Human Body924 Words à |à 4 Pagesrates continue to increase throughout the world, more psychologists are searching for the motives behind these suicides. The majority of society believes that alcohol plays a major role in people committing suicide by stimulating suicidal behaviors, but they lack factual support. Now psychologists are testing to see if a positive Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) correlates with suicide. Samples of 92 studies were selected out of 167,894 suicides to test for BAC. This study helps further the knowledge ofRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On The Human Body826 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Impact of Alcohol on the Human Body Alcohol is a dangerous substance that deteriorates the human body if consumed on a regular basis. Even if a person is not a heavy drinker, their body still go through changes when they drink alcohol (NIH, 2010). Alcoholic beverages are an extremely toxic substance that affects one physical wellness. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism known as NIH, discusses how alcoholic beverages affects a personââ¬â¢s brain, heart, and liver. Also, the NIHRead MoreEffects of Alcohol Abuse on the Human Body1919 Words à |à 8 Pagesï » ¿Introduction The effects of alcohol on the human body are well documented. Researchers have over time demonstrated that excessive consumption of alcohol, what is herein referred to as alcohol abuse, does adversely affect the human body. In this text, I define the term alcohol abuse and examine the effects excessive consumption of alcohol has on the human body. What is Alcohol Abuse? It is important to note from the onset that the term alcohol abuse does not have an assigned definition. WhileRead MoreHow Do Drugs and Alcohol Affect You1495 Words à |à 6 PagesDrugs and Alcohol Affect You Sarah Tate Kaplan University-Omaha CJ411 Drugs and Alcohol May 15, 2012 Kerry Neumann Drugs and alcohol can cause short and long term damage to the human body. People that abuse drugs and alcohol may not be aware of the damage they are doing to their bodies. There are also psychological effects that drugs and alcohol can do to the human mind. These psychological effects can and may be permanent depending on the drug used and prolonged use of drugs and alcohol. HereRead MorePsychoactive Drugs : The Single Convention On Narcotic Drugs1587 Words à |à 7 Pagesbecause most psychoactive drugs have several effects on the psychological and physical activity of the body, depending on the dose and duration of use.] The use of psychoactive drugs in our society is a very important problem, most of them have a negative effect on the human body and cause psychological and physical dependence of Alcohol: An organic substance formed when a hydroxyl group is substituted for a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon. The type of alcohol used in alcoholic beverages, ethanol, derivesRead MoreEffects of Alcohol on Coordination Essay examples1283 Words à |à 6 Pagesï » ¿BIO103 Environmental Biology ââ¬â Effects of Alcohol on Human Coordination Introduction: Alcohol is known to produce many chronic abnormalities that are attributable to parietal lobe dysfunction. The self becomes aware of the body being a distant object but it feels a strange attachment feeling (Miller et al, 1991). Considerable laboratory research indicates that different levels of alcohol consumption contributes to overall behavioural and cognitive functions and therefore the reason for carrying
Monday, May 11, 2020
Analysis Of Killing Patton By Bill O Reilly - 1592 Words
Our history is what has shaped the world into what it is today for better or worse. There have been many turning points in our history that have dramatically impacted the world we live in. World War â⦠¡ was a pinnacle point in recent history that brought about genocide, modern warfare and the nuclear age. This was a tragic war that introduced some of the deadliest weapons the world has ever seen, as well as manufacturing mass murder. But World War â⦠¡ also brought about many changes in the world, specifically in America. Women played important roles in the workforce for the first time and finally had a sense of independence. America was able to unite as a country and manufacture goods on a scale that will probably never be seen again. Her fullâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Shortly after the war, the infamous general was involved in a car accident that paralyzed him from the waist down. A few days later, a man who saw so much death on the battlefields of Europe and Africa died in the most pedestrian way. In this book, rumors that the Russians along with the head of the U.S. government s OSS unit conspired to kill Patton to put an end to his outspoken disapproval of Stalin and the Russians. The time period this novel takes place in is towards the end of World War â⦠¡ around 1944 and the months after the war is over. It begins around the time the Allied troops have liberated France are pushing eastward towards the Fatherland. Hitler and the Naziââ¬â¢s are on their heels and are planning on launching a desperate last attack that will be known as the Battle of the Bulge. The Allied troops have come to a halt to regroup and Hitler is using this as the prime time to launch a secret attack of more than two-hundred and fifty thousand soldiers on the Allies. Germany eventually ends up losing the battle and eventually the war. From there, the book talks about General Pattonââ¬â¢s post war actions and his sudden death and the conspiracies behind it. Geographically, the book moves from place to place. It talks about past events in Africa and present events in Europe. Much of the story takes place at Fort Driant where Patton is trying to take control of the fort fromShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words à |à 1573 PagesChoice (Should You Use Group Peer Pressure?) â⬠¢ New Case Incident (Negative Aspects of Collaboration?) â⬠¢ Updated Case Incident (Herd Behavior and the Housing Bubble [and Collapse]) Chapter 10: Understanding Work Teams â⬠¢ Entirely new Opening Vignette (Killing bin Laden) â⬠¢ New feature: glOBalization! â⬠¢ New Myth or Science? (ââ¬Å"Teams Work Best Under Angry Leadersâ⬠) â⬠¢ Updated discussion of strategies to improve team performance â⬠¢ Review of research on team decision-making strategies â⬠¢ New perspectives on creativity
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Communism in Chinese Education Free Essays
China has a long and rich cultural tradition in which education has played a major role. In 124 BC the first university was established for training prospective bureaucrats in Confucian learning and the Chinese classics. Only members of the upper class could attend school. We will write a custom essay sample on Communism in Chinese Education or any similar topic only for you Order Now Peasants and factory workers did not have the time to attend school; therefore as of 1949 only 20% of China was literate. The Communists who controlled China considered illiteracy a major stumbling block in their promotion of political programs. They then combined political propaganda with educational development. During the first few years (1949-51) of this push on education, over 60 million peasants enrolled in winter schools, or sessions, established to take advantage of the slack season for agricultural workers. Mao, the Communist leader of China, felt that the ultimate goal of education was to eliminate class distinction. After Maoâ⬠s death in 1976 a review of government policies concerning education was started. Out of this review came standardized testing and the reinstitution of entrance exams to get into schools and these exams were also used to get in the civil service. Chinese children entered school at age six and stayed for six years. They would study the Chinese language, math and other basic subjects. After going to an elementary school children would enter a middle school. The subjects the Chinese taught were particularly important for the advancement of the country. During the Ming dynasty Chinese novels became very popular. There were many poems and collections of short stories. The Ming also established free schools for the public hoping to expand education in china. Gifted students were selected for studying abroad especially in the United States. As these students finished their education and returned to China some of them teaching at Chinese Universities a major political unrest began to place. The recently educated youth of China challenged the Communist policies of their country. Many protest and rallies took place led by university students. This protest was because students did not want the government to have total power. Many of these protestors were killed or jailed and still are in jail today. The more educated the Chinese people became they realized that their present way of life was not as good as it should be. How to cite Communism in Chinese Education, Papers
Thursday, April 30, 2020
The Key To Greatness Great Gatsby Essay free essay sample
The Key To Greatness ( Great Gatsby ) Essay, Research Paper The Key To Greatness Happiness is the key to life. Money is the key to happiness, or is it love? Many people have different sentiments on what felicity is. Possibly this is because felicity is many different things for many different people, but in the terminal it all comes down to what the individual loves. Some people spend their whole lives seeking to win in the concern universe merely to derive huge amounts of money an dice rich and unhappy. Why are these people blowing off their clip merely to derive material properties and non love? In the novel The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, kept woman, matrimony, and true love were the different sorts of love that existed. Tom Buchanan was married to a adult female named Daisy, but had a kept woman who lived in the Valley of Ashes. We will write a custom essay sample on The Key To Greatness Great Gatsby Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The kept woman # 8217 ; s name was Myrtle Wilson. She would have on a tight, brown frock to give the feeling that she were rich. Myrtle was non happy with where she was at. She was married to a dirty, oily machinist named George Wilson. Myrtle would utilize Tom to acquire into the upper-class. Tom in return would travel out and demo off his miss. # 8220 ; Tom # 8217 ; s got some adult female in New York. . . She might hold the decency non to telephone him at dinner clip. Don # 8217 ; t you think? # 8221 ; ( Fitzgerald 16 ) . Everyone knew about Tom # 8217 ; s adult female, including Daisy. Daisy would non allow he experience about the state of affairs show through to Tom. Tom and Myrtle # 8217 ; s love would shortly convey Myrtle to her ain decease. Myrtle thought she saw Tom and was hit by a auto as she ran into the street to flag him down. The auto that hit Myrtle was being driven by Daisy Buchanan. Daisy and Tom were so everlastingly to be together. Daisy and Tom were a married twosome life in East Egg. The two moved from Chicago. Tom was a Polo participant and Daisy would travel wheresoever her hubby # 8217 ; s polo playing would take them. # 8220 ; They had spent a twelvemonth in France for no peculiar ground, and so drifted here and at that place unrestfully wherever people played Polo and were rich together # 8221 ; ( Fitzgerald 6 ) . The two owned an luxuriant Georgian Colonial sign of the zodiac overlooking the bay. The bay separated East Egg from West Egg which was where Jay Gatsby lived. Although Daisy was married to Tom, she had a love from many old ages before with Jay Gatsby. Gatsby and Daisy shared something really charming, but Gatsby was sent off to war and by the clip he got back, Daisy had found a new love with Tom. Yet Gatsby will neer bury his lo ve with Daisy. Gatsby became great in wealth and popularity, but despite this illustriousness, he struggled to derive the same illustriousness in his love life. Gatsby could neer have the love he wanted from the 1 he genuinely loved. Daisy is his long, lost love. The ground Gatsby made himself so successful in the fiscal and societal universe was in the hope of deriving the love he one time had with Daisy. He merely wanted Daisy. He did non look to care if Daisy loved him for the existent Jay Gatsby he was or for the celebrated millionaire ââ¬Å"Great Gatsby.â⬠â⬠He hadnââ¬â¢t one time ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house harmonizing to the step of response it drew from her well-loved eyesâ⬠( Fitzgerald 92 ) . Gatsby considered his pursuit for the love him and Daisy one time shared to be rekindled, to be the individual most of import thing in his life. Gatsby was stuck in the yesteryear, which was doing him enormous hurting and torment. # 8220 ; He wanted nil less of Daisy than that she should travel to Tom and state: # 8220 ; I neer loved you # 8221 ; ( Fitzgerald 111 ) . Daisy was neer able to state that she loved Tom and genuinely intend it. Gatsby did finally have Daisy # 8217 ; s confession of love, but it was non sincere plenty for herself to believe it. Gatsby himself did candidly believe that Daisy and him shared the one, pure, ageless love which he had so longed for. Gatsby was populating in a dream and when he eventually awakened he had lost his life. Gatsby was murdered by Wilson, but that did non affair because the # 8220 ; Great Gatsby # 8221 ; had already died the twenty-four hours Daisy chose Tom. # 8220 ; He must hold felt that he had lost the old warm universe, paid a high monetary value for populating excessively long with a individual dream # 8221 ; ( Fitzgerald 162 ) . This is the manner Gatsby felt after neglecting to win in deriving the one thing he would give his life for, Daisy # 8217 ; s love. This great failure brought the great adult male to his ain decease. In decision, kept woman, matrimony, and true love are all really common in The Great Gatsby every bit good as in our universe today. Gatsby neer considered himself to be great because he neer could obtain the love of his life. Even though everyone idea of Gatsby as being great, he was non great because he was neer happy. Happiness peers love, and love is more powerful than money and popularity. Peoples can non populate merrily without love. George Horace Lorimer one time said, # 8220 ; It # 8217 ; s good to hold money and the things money can purchase, but it # 8217 ; s good excessively, to look into one time in a piece and do certain you haven # 8217 ; t lost the things money can # 8217 ; t buy. # 8221 ;
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Write a critical appreciation of pages 214-16 of The Kite Runner Essays
Write a critical appreciation of pages 214-16 of The Kite Runner Essays Write a critical appreciation of pages 214-16 of The Kite Runner Essay Write a critical appreciation of pages 214-16 of The Kite Runner Essay Essay Topic: The Breadwinner The Kite Runner In The Kite Runner, the author Khaled Hosseini tells a narrative spanning the lives of characters amid political upheavals and war. Therefore, the themes he presents to the reader are highly prevalent to their understanding of the war throughout the novel, and this scene reflects these themes well. The sheer destruction war causes is a rather established theme throughout the novel and is an important theme in the scene where the protagonist, Amir, returns to Kabul after living in America. It is between pages 214 to 217, that this scene presents how the brutality and violence of war has detrimentally affected both Afghan society and the physical surroundings itself and reinforces the themes presented throughout the novel. The social and historical context surrounding the novel is significantly important in considering the portrayal of Afghanistan, particularly Amirs return to Kabul. Afghanistans history during the latter decades of the 20th century directly influenced the lives if the characters and provides a basis for the readers own understanding of the war. From 1973, when a coup dà ¯Ã ¿Ã ½tat ended the monarchy, Afghanistan has been fighting against both foreign invaders and itself. In 1992, Afghanistan was converted into an Islamic state and in 1996, a group of Pashtun supremacists, the Taliban, took control of the country. They massacred Shiites and Hazaras in addition to enacting fundamentalist laws. The strife of war continued and undoubtedly is presented in this scene and throughout the novel as a whole. The placement of this scene within the novel, concerning the plot and movements of the characters, is also highly important in consideration of the war. Historically, Amirs return is during the Talibans control of Afghanistan, after many years of fighting. His memories of Afghanistan and Kabul are from his childhood during peacetime and as a result, his return after many years of war presents a detailed illustration of how Kabul now is. His use of the past continuous tense such as: There used to be shops here and hotels draws references to his experiences from when he was young serving as a reminder that for a long period of time prior to the war, Kabul had many amenities that have now been destroyed. This reinforces the fact it was war that destroyed these amenities and so war that has dealt a serious blow to society, plummeting it into what one would expect from a fledgling third world nation rather than a country rich in culture and tradition. The atmosphere that Hosseini creates is incredibly significant in his portrayal of the key themes of violence and brutality of war. His use of diction, imagery and syntax creates a unique yet alluring style of writing which allows the reader to delve deeply into the atrocities of a war-torn Kabul. Significantly, the opening sentence of the final paragraph on page 214 sets the tone for the remainder of his description of the city. Hosseini deals with the harrowing social problems caused by fighting for he simply states: Rubble and Beggars. This automatically sets the precedent one might expect for a city ravished by war. What is quite intriguing about this statement is its blunt approach to the issue. Rather than skirting around the subject, Hosseini instantly illustrates a city ravaged by fighting. He demonstrates the poor conditions Afghans are living in simply by stating: beggars which suggests an enormity of poverty-stricken people living on the streets (of which have turned to rubble) and shortly after by saying: they squatted at every street corner. This reinforces the idea that there were large amounts of people displaced by the war and the term squatted suggests that these people are close to the earth and so seen as dirt by the Taliban. These are the victims of the wars much as the Hazaras were victims of the Taliban. This is an excellent use of empathy to convey Hosseinis outlook on war and helps to contribute to the readers understanding of it. It allows the reader to experience from the victims point of view of war how it was indiscriminate, that it was not only the racial targets of the Taliban that suffered but also society overall. It shows that the war indiscriminate and so reflects one of the novels chief concerns: the idea of brutality of and its destruction li ves. Hosseini makes it clearly apparent that the victims of the war were the innocent, evidently remarking upon how the war was indiscriminate. The war did not care who it hurt, for it ruined the lives of children who were left without fathers for: fathers had become a rare commodity in Afghanistan. The use of the word commodity suggests an item of value to be bought or sold and in this sense is a metaphor for the value of a father. It suggests that fathers are very important and valuable to a child, as stereotypically (yet especially real in Afghan society) men are the breadwinners and provide for their children. The men have fought in the wars leaving their children without fathers, without a means of support and subsequently must rely on supporting themselves. This idea relates to the novel as a whole for Amir returns to Kabul in search of Sohrab, Hassans son, who has been orphaned by the war. In a sense Amir is this rare commodity, somebody looking to help and provide for a child whos e life has been destroyed by the war. It is quite ironic that this person should be Amir, the one who witnessed yet did nothing to stop the rape of Sohrabs father by Assef, who has subsequently sexually abused Sohrab. This shows how the war has hampered Afghanistans future, for the new generation must not only be burdened in the future with looking after the old, but will have had the burden of looking after them up until that point. It contributes to my understanding of the war; that the war has not only destroyed the current society of Afghanistan but its legacy will continue to destroy future generations as well. The war severely affected Afghanistans culture, traditions and society through physically destroying many of the amenities and through impoverishing much of the population. Hosseinis powerful descriptions and literary techniques allow the reader clearly to empathise with both the characters but more importantly with the victims of war. He allows me to understand that the war was indiscriminate, many of the victims being children. This means that the war has severely hampered Afghanistans survival in future years because of the enormous strife the younger generations have been through caused by the war.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Battle of Hastings and Williams Conquest
Battle of Hastings and Williams Conquest The Battle of Hastings was part of the invasions of England that followed the death of King Edward the Confessor in 1066.Ã William of Normandys victory at Hastings occurred on October 14, 1066. Armies and Commanders Normans William of NormandyOdo of Bayeux7,000-8,000 men Anglo-Saxons Harold Godwinson7,000-8,000 men Background: With the death of King Edward the Confessor in early 1066, the throne of England fell into dispute with multiple individuals stepping forward as claimants. Shortly after Edwards death, the English nobles presented the crown to Harold Godwinson, a powerful local lord. Accepting, he was crowned as King Harold II. His ascension to the throne was immediately challenged by William of Normandy and Harold Hardrada of Norway who felt they had superior claims. Both began assembling armies and fleets with the goal of supplanting Harold. Gathering his men at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, William initially hoped to cross the Channel in mid-August. Due to foul weather, his departure was delayed and Hardrada arrived in England first. Landing in the north, he won an initial victory at Gate Fulford on September 20, 1066, but was defeated and killed by Harold at the Battle of Stamford Bridge five days later. While Harold and his army were recovering from the battle, William landed at Pevensey on September 28. Establishing a base near Hastings, his men constructed a wooden palisade and commenced raiding the countryside. To counter this, Harold raced south with his battered army, arriving on October 13. The Armies Form William and Harold were familiar with each other as they had fought together in France and some sources, such as the Bayeux Tapestry, suggest that the English lord had sworn an oath to support the Norman dukes claim to Edwards throne while in his service. Deploying his army, which was largely composed of infantry, Harold assumed a position along Senlac Hill astride the Hastings-London road. In this location, his flanks were protected by woods and streams with some marshy ground to their front right. With the army in line along the top of the ridge, the Saxons formed a shield wall and waited for the Normans to arrive. Moving north from Hastings, Williams army appeared on the battlefield on the morning of Saturday October 14. Arraying his army into three battles, composed of infantry, archers, and crossbowmen, William moved to attack the English. The center battle consisted of Normans under Williams direct control while the troops to his left were largely Bretons led by Alan Rufus.Ã The right battle was made up of French soldiers and was commanded by William FitzOsbern and Count Eustace of Boulogne. Williams initial plan called for his archers to weaken Harolds forces with arrows, then for infantry and cavalry assaults to break through the enemy line (Map). William Triumphant This plan began to fail from the outset as the archers were unable to inflict damage due to the Saxons high position on the ridge and the protection offered by the shield wall. They were further hampered by a shortage of arrows as the English lacked archers.Ã As a result, there were no arrows to gather and reuse. Ordering his infantry forward, William soon saw it pelted with spears and other projectiles which inflicted heavy casualties. Faltering, the infantry withdrew and the Norman cavalry moved in to attack. This too was beaten back with the horses having difficulty climbing the steep ridge. As his attack was failing, Williams left battle, composed primarily of Bretons, broke and fled back down the ridge. It was pursued by many of the English, who had left the safety of the shield wall to continue the killing. Seeing an advantage, William rallied his cavalry and cut down the counterattacking English. Though the English rallied on a small hillock, they were ultimately overwhelmed. As the day progressed, William continued his attacks, possibly feigning several retreats, as his men slowly wore down the English. Late in the day, some sources indicate that William altered his tactics and ordered his archers to shoot at a higher angle so that their arrows fell on those behind the shield wall. This proved lethal for Harolds forces and his men began to fall. Legend states that he was hit in the eye with an arrow and killed. With the English taking casualties, William ordered an assault which finally broke through the shield wall. If Harold was not struck by an arrow, he died during this attack. With their line broken and king dead, the many of the English fled with only Harolds personal bodyguard fighting on until the end. Battle of Hastings Aftermath In the Battle of Hastings it is believed that William lost approximately 2,000 men, while the English suffered around 4,000. Among the English dead was King Harold as well as his brothers Gyrth and Leofwine. Though the Normans were defeated in the Malfosse immediately after the Battle of Hastings, the English did not meet them again in a major battle. After pausing two weeks at Hastings to recover and wait for the English nobles to come and submit to him, William began marching north towards London. After enduring a dysentery outbreak, he was reinforced and closed on the capital. As he approached London, the English nobles came and submitted to William, crowning him king on Christmas Day 1066. Williams invasion marks the last time that Britain was conquered by an outside force and earned him the nickname the Conqueror.
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