Philosophical Basis Of Occupational Therapy

Philosophical Basis Of Occupational Therapy This paper aims to explore the defining of occupational therapy together with its philosophical basis, discussing the relationship between the philosophy of occupational therapy and practice, including the role of the College of Occupational Therapists (COT) and the Health Professions Council (HPC). This paper is going to be structured in essay form, beginning with a discussion of definitions of occupational therapy and the development of occupational therapy as a profession. Also discussed will be the roles of the COT and HPC with regards to occupational therapy training and practice. The HPC is the regulating body of occupational therapists, as well as fourteen other health professions such as speech and language therapists, biomedical scientists and practitioner psychologists. The HPCs primary function is to protect the public by dictating standards which the health professions must meet in both their training and practice (HPC, 2010a). The COT (also referred to as the British Ass ociation of Occupational Therapists or BAOT) is the professional body for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants in the United Kingdom (COT, 2010b). It is important to define occupational therapy and have a broad knowledge about the profession as there has been a lot of role blurring and ambiguity with other health professions such as physiotherapists (De Wit et al 2006) particularly since occupational therapy gained interest in the area of psychosocial rehabilitation in the late 1980s/early 1990s (Sà ¶derback, 2009). This role blurring means occupational therapy as a profession is in danger of being seen as surplus to health authority requirements. With the current economic climate in a state of uncertainty it has been reported that the Government plans to cut funding to the National Health Service by  £20bn (Borland, 2010). If frontline staff are being cut, allied health professionals who cannot justify and defend their profession are at risk of being seen as expendable. Alternatively, role blurring can also mean occupational therapists are at risk of being utilised as more than one profession, for example a social worker (H olosko Taylor, 2006). The COT website clearly states the need for its members acting as ambassadors of the profession (COT, 2010b) implying the need for justification of occupational therapy is widely felt. This role blurring and ambiguity could be seen as both a cause and effect of the profession lacking a single, clear definition from which all bodies can explain occupational therapy. A single definition that encompassed all merits of the profession could give a clear justification of what therapists do and could be used to support their practice. However, there are many different definitions and newly qualified occupational therapists find it hard to explain to carers what their profession involves (Williams Richards, 2010). The COT itself changes the definition it releases over the years. The current BAOT definition encompasses the ideas of health and wellbeing obtained through occupation (COT, 2010a). This COT definition has no mention of occupations being meaningful or purposeful which is a core concept in occupational therapy. The idea of giving people meaningless tasks is outdated in modern theories so this definition has limitations. The COT (2009a) released a much broader def inition which encompasses a lot more of the theory of occupational therapy and more of the basis in which it is rooted. However, the terms used in this definition are very specific to occupational therapy and if someone outside of the profession were to read it, many of the terms would read as jargon, rendering the definition incomprehensible. On a positive note, this definition does mention fulfilling a persons potential and their quality of life which is an idea central to the philosophy of occupational therapy which many other definitions omit. The Committee of Occupational Therapy for the European Committees (1990) definition talks predominantly of preventing disability and promoting independent function. Even though this definition is fairly broad and encompassing, these two terms rule out a certain number of clients that an occupational therapist could work with. This definition implies that only people whose disability can be prevented and people with the potential to functio n independently would be assisted by occupational therapy. However this is not the case, occupational therapy has been applied to many areas of severe disabilities such as advanced HIV infection (Parutti et al, 2007). Other definitions incorporate ideas of competency and satisfaction (Knecht-Sabres, 2010) analyzing qualities of activities (Larson Von Eye, 2010) and everyday activities and subjective and objective aspects of performance (AOTA, 2002). So with so many differing ideas about what should be in a definition of occupational therapy, what important points should a good definition cover? Reed Sanderson (1999) outlined the criteria a definition should meet in modern occupational therapy. These included the unique feature of occupational therapy, major goals, outcomes, the population served, a summary of the service programmes and the process in which the service is delivered (Reed Sanderson, 1999, pp. 6). One reason occupational therapy may be difficult to define as a profession worldwide is due to the cultural differences. Occupational therapy is important in certain life aspects to a particular population and this may not be generalisable. For example, in Belgium the Fà ©dà ©ration Nationale Belge des Ergothà ©rapeutes (FNBE) has a definition which focuses in part on professional occupation, as well as activities of daily living and leisure (FNBE 2010). The Bangladesh Occupational Therapy Association (BOTA) incorporates the ideas of therapeutic exercise, special equipment and special skills training into its definition (BOTA, 2010). The Occupational Therapy Africa Regional Group (OTARG) is largely focused on the rehabilitation of disabled people in Africa (OTARG, 2010) but has recognised the need to apply culturally correct interventions to their clients dependent on what that specific region requires as many of the countries that are part of OTARG are poverty-stricken and there is a significant lack of resources available (Crouch, 2010). These cultural differences are indicative of the breadth to which occupational therapy can be used yet how it can make finding a single definition for the profession practically impossible to pin down. Finding a definition that utilises all of the concepts inherent in occupational therapy is also difficult due to the fact that the profession is ever changing and evolving. George Barton encapsulated one of the earliest definitions of occupational therapy in its history: OT is the science of instructing and encouraging the sick in such labours as will involve those energies and activities producing a beneficial therapeutic effect. (Barton, 1919, pp.62) Although this definition was over eighty years ago, much of what was in this definition is still applicable to occupational therapy today, however the profession has been through some major transitions since. The foundations were grounded in a number of historical influences such as the arts and crafts movement, the influence of the Quakers and the mental hygiene movement, amongst others (Reed Sanderson, 1999). One of the most influential however was the moral treatment movement, borne out of the humanistic frame of reference which introduced the concept of work having a positive effect on health (Sà ¶derback, 2009). The first paradigm of occupational therapy reapplied the moral treatment ideals in caring for ill and disabled people. The core beliefs of this paradigm focused on the occupational nature of human beings and the interrelationships between the body, mind and environment (Kielhofner, 2009). Some of the core skills and processes of occupational therapy that are used today could have been inherent in the profession since the very first paradigm such as using activities as therapeutic interventions and assessments of the occupational performance of clients (COT, 2009b). In the late 1940s occupational therapy was swept into reductionist ideals and a need for a theoretical rationale. This new paradigm is referred to as the mechanistic paradigm and using the biomedical frame of reference focused largely on what could be measured quantitatively and scientifically, particularly with; the systems in the body, the neuromotor control and muscuoskeletal performance (Kielhofner, 2009). Some core skills of occupational therapy are rooted in the main ideas of the mechanistic paradigm such as enablement and environmental adaptations (COT, 2009b). Certain stages of the process of occupational therapy could have been developed through the beliefs of the mechanistic paradigm too, in particular the assessment stage which involves assessing clients strengths, weaknes ses, environments and support systems. Another stage which could be linked to the mechanistic paradigm is the intervention stage. This involves engaging in activities that have been analysed, graded and sequenced (Larson Von Eye, 2010) which is also a quantitative and reductionist ideal. The scientific aspect of the paradigm did better establish the profession with the World Federation of Occupational Therapists being inaugurated in Stockholm in 1952 (Sà ¶derback, 2009). The mechanistic paradigm, however, lost sight of the origins of occupational therapy; that occupation was central to the profession and that engagement in occupation can be beneficial to health and wellbeing. Mary Reilly, a fundamental figure in the profession in 1962 gave a seminal lecture and definition that was to change the outlook of the profession once again: Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energised by his mind and will, can influence the state of his own health. (Reilly, 1962, pp. 2) This direct quote encapsulates the change that ended the mechanistic paradigm of occupational therapy and recognised the need to return occupation to the centre of occupational therapy (Molineux, 2004). Following the mechanistic paradigm, a new paradigm emerged which Kielhofner (2009) coined the contemporary paradigm. This paradigm is that in which occupational therapy is practiced today. This focuses on the belief that occupation is central to health and wellbeing and the profession should focus on occupational needs and how neuromotor and musculoskeletal limitations affect a clients occupational performance, as opposed to what the limitations are. This paradigm focuses on the interrelationships between a person, their environment and their occupation (Kielhofner, 2009). There are, however, some new ideas that were not inherent in the original paradigm such as the client-centred frame of reference and the use of client-centred practice. In 1919, Barton wrote that the patient cannot be trusted to select his own occupation (Barton, 1919, pp. 20). In the contemporary paradigm, client-centred practice defines the client as having more of a choice and more power in the client-therapist relationship (Sumsion, 2006) and Bartons ideas would not be acceptable. There are three main roles that have been identified as important for occupational therapists; the therapeutic role, the consulting role and the team member role (Sà ¶derback, 2009). These roles are fairly modern ideas that are borne out of the beliefs of the latest paradigm. The COT became a member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in 1952 (WFOT, 2010) when it was first set up during the mechanistic paradigm. The role of the COT is to set professional guidelines which occupational therapists and students must adhere to in practice, with regards to service user welfare, provision of the service, personal and professional integrity, competence, continual professional development and developing the evidence base of the profession (COT, 2010a). The HPC state they protect the public by having professional standards and guidelines that must be met by the professions that they govern (HPC, 2010a). They have a register of all of their health professionals which members of the public can check to make sure any professional working with them is registered, qualified and competent (HPC, 2010b). The HPC also deals with all disciplinary matters and has three different committees for dealing with fitness to practise hearings with registered profession als; the conduct and competence committee, the health committee and the investigating committee (HPC 2010c). As well as protecting the public against incompetent practitioners, the guidelines put in place could also be to protect the profession against scrutiny or disrepute. The COT and HPC are an integral part of practising as an occupational therapist and students are provided with their own copy of the COT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct to read and digest. However, a big problem of the students of occupational therapy and other professions once qualified is the theory/practice divide; a student can have all the theoretical knowledge needed but lack the ability to effectively apply that knowledge to practice. Core areas in occupational therapy that are limited due to a lack of practice experience include client-centred care, enhanced clinical reasoning skills, the development and use of a therapeutic relationship and a deep appreciation of the person, environment and occu pation impact (Knecht-Sabres, 2010). It may be said that this lack of practical experience is due to the strict guidelines of education in the COT. A large body of knowledge has to be understood in order to qualify and register as an occupational therapist. However the COT also have guidelines about how much clinical experience a student needs before they can qualify so they do recognise the need for practice-based learning and incorporate it as much as possible. Once qualified, the COT and HPC guidelines on continual professional development state that a registrant must continue learning and be up to date with policy, guidelines and research. This aims to ensure that practices do not become outdated which would widen the divide between core theory and practice. The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (COT, 2010a) being handed out to all students and professionals is a good basis for students to start from before their practice placements, yet it may be hard to practically apply what is in the Code until it is ingrained in ones knowledge of how to apply it in practice. One way suggested in which to bridge the theory and practice divide whilst learning in an institution with limited clinical experience is a good use of reflective practice. Reflecting in action during an intervention as well as reflecting on action (Schà ¶n, 1983) can enhance advanced clinical reasoning skills which would help bridge the divide (Knecht-Sabres, 2010). In conclusion, occupational therapy is a valid and important practice when used in accordance of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and the HPC guidelines. These guidelines are in place to safeguard clients and also the therapists themselves against practicing at an incompetent standard. These guidelines make it possible to further, justify and develop the profession and provide a definition or definitions in which to explain occupational therapy. There are, however, a large amount of standards to consider which one can read but will not become ingrained unless returned to repeatedly or learned and used in context. The true benefit of occupational therapy can get lost amongst the standards and guidelines as they can lead to a lack of clinical experience, a lack of reflecting in-action and perhaps issues of client-centred practice. One example is: if a client wants to work on their planned interventions late but it would interrupt with record-keeping due to time restrictions a therapist would have to refuse as record-keeping is an important part of COT guidelines, but this would not be strictly client-centred practice. Also a clients idea of a good quality of life may be different to that of the COT and HPC and it is the responsibility of the therapist to set out guidelines of what is acceptable, regardless of client choice. The profession, as shown in this paper is also ever-evolving and developing. It could be difficult to abide by the standards if the standards themselves are ever-changing. This is where continual professional development is a beneficial practice in overcoming this issue. The COT also sends out free copies of the British Journal of Occupational Therapy and the OT News, enabling all members to keep up to date with modern ideas and research.

The Afterlife of Frankenstein

The Frankenstein myth has produced over 2,600 pieces of derivative work and 100 films. Post-publication it was critiqued but not heavily. William Godwin, an old radical, was dedicatee on the anonymously published work and so association with him garnered rejections from conservative publications. There were questions over aspects of the novel reflecting preoccupations and values of the time. It was praised in some essays. All in kind showed some respect initially. Lawrence published his work and gained notoriety. Through being or fear of being associated with his work Mary Shelley revised her work n 1831 where se removed signs of his ideas. The first play appeared in 1823, Presumption, making three key changes from the novel: Frankenstein's religious remorse, the monster being mute and a comic servant called Fritz. It is a cautionary reading followed by The Demon of Switzerland. Before her own changes had been made, she had lost control over her own plot. Her edits were damage limitation. Conservative writers were interpreting it however they wanted knowing their readers agreed. She cut what The Quarterly wanted removed from Lawrence's work. The novel is the first in the mad-scientist genre. Victor has now become more corrupt. The creature is more sensationalised and dehumanised. Playwrights recognised problems in translating the play. The internal reasonings of Victor and the monster were cut. Walton's framing narrative couldn't be portrayed. The story became more visual. The monster became the star with more visual violence. There were also comic versions. The plays stay a lot truer to the original than most of the films. Silent films found it hard to translate the story onto screen. Thomas Edison's company created the first film version. James Whale arguably changed the story the most so far, basing his version on Peggy Webley's play. His monster supersedes all others. He introduces the image of Dr. Frankenstein, the Igor character, and the sensational creation scene which is rarely mentioned in the text. Victor is an arrogant grown man and not an unknowing youth. ‘Whale's sequel Bride of Frankenstein (1935), and later sequels Son of Frankenstein (1939), and Ghost of Frankenstein (1942) all continued the general theme of sensationalism, horror, and exaggeration, with the newly-dubbed Dr. Frankenstein and his parallels growing more and more sinister.' (Tourney) Later films became more diverted from the original meaning. He is a sexual pervert, a necrophiliac, opens up transsexual debate, bringing the focus back to the scientist, but not as the scientist of the original text. These films show us about its nature and how the populace views of science have evolved. How time changes our ideas and priorities to garner meaning from the text. Frankenstein has become a doting father in The Munsters, moved to television, become a household icon, As one of the famous Universal Monsters his recogniseable image has been transferred to all sorts of merchandise. He has appeared in comics and games and been referenced in music. The mad scientist trope has become familiar in science fiction. The name Frankenstein has spawned words, Frankensteinian and Franken- prefix can indicate something assembled out of parts or scientifically modified. He is a prominent figure at Halloween and other tropes such as creations falling out of one's control and rebirth through assembling parts are apparent in various mediums. Questions of Science are still resonant. How far should we go? This afterlife raises interesting questions over the nature of adaptation. In an age where most of us are exposed to images of the monster before ever reading the original text, how then does that affect our own interpretations of the myth? Questions arise over meaning through adaptation, but that is its nature. It is by definition of the Oxford English Dictionary ‘The action or process of adapting, fitting, or suiting one thing to another.' The medium has an effect on the message but so does the time period. Cinema is visual and the story has to be modified to suit this, but elements are also foregrounded or hyperbolised if they work well on screen. The adapter(s) interpret the original in a certain way and critics can also play a hand in this by influencing them also, emphasising certain ideas that the adapter may want to portray at the expense of others. My view is that a text's original meaning can never be fully understood and in an adaptation carries less importance because adaptations, like originals, are a reflection of their place in time. By reading a story we allow it to take shape within our minds, conceptualising it and instantly creating our own reproduction of it. Frankenstein means something different to everyone, all are reproductions. Criticism can alter that meaning and history can foreground certain ideas for it is always evolving. Interpretation is never static. We are the monster, he evolves with us. Adaptations are an amalgamation of views. A singular vision constructed through the collective consciousness, through the many people working on them, the critics that influenced them, society that imparte values onto them, the media and government that re-order their priorities. By its nature adaptation can never stay true to the original and that is a good thing. Were it even possible, would films be as interesting to us if it followed Shelley's text word for word and faithfully recreated all events? What is more interesting to us as students of literature is context. The context of a novel or a play or a film are the same, A text or interpretation gains meaning through where it lives historically.

New Zild

? New Zealand English (NZE) which is now known as â€Å"New Zild† is an exciting and newfangled language they speak in New Zealand. New Zild is forever evolving-forming new, abbreviated ways of speech. Their shared language – Te Reo/English makes up their unique, lucid dialect, which unites them as a country and distinguishes them from the rest of the world, this is a great aspect as their language will be fancied in the future. New Zealand English is the newest most fascinating language in the world today. New Zild is the only language that can be tracked since its birth over two centuries ago. The dialogue is forever evolving, changing and advancing. New Zealand English is a continuously developing speech. What makes this language so exclusive is that you can use available resources to show the developing and unfurling of it. Although characteristic features of New Zealand English have evolved from British English, there are no longer any dominant influences. New Zild forms and illustrates a Kiwi, who creates their own language, being New Zild. Their strong accent is greatly noticed overseas. Foreigners find New Zild bizarre, as they talk faster than, they do. Although New Zealand English is closely related Australian English also known as ‘strine’ but they have their individuality, as New Zealanders do. America has major influence in all the languages, including New Zild. American English is the most influential language of the world. The trends it sets are spread by mass communications around the globe, for example, television, movies and music. American English can have a negative impact depending on the kind of influence being portrayed, for example, teenagers listening to rap music, the lyrics or words expressed may have meaning, but would their parents like them talking like the rapper? American English also has a positive impact on New Zild as it creates new characteristics and majorly influences the development of New Zealand English. The American English greatly affects young New Zealanders as they may speak an even stranger language than their elders. Their speech has been hugely influenced which all contributes to the future. The dialect of the younger population is different, therefore change naturally occurs. New Zealand’s younger generation being teenagers forms many, new colloquialisms, increasing yet decreasing their vocabulary. According to Jennifer Hay in Denis Welch’s Listener article, â€Å"By the time someone is seven or eight, it doesn’t matter where their parents came from, they’re speaking like their friends at school. † Older New Zealanders are trying to adapt to the teenage dialect, after all they are the voices of the future. Their dialogue will be the future New Zealand’s English, as the new vocabulary, colloquialisms work their way from the bottom of the social heap to the top. The tremendous variety of languages composed in New Zealand is another impact. New Zild is an exciting language as it includes an assortment of influences from these solitary vocal influences. Maori have changed the way New Zealanders speak because words and sayings from Te Reo have been absorbed into the vocabulary spoken today. There are some Maori who can speak both English and Maori beautifully. Years ago only 1/1000 Maori words spoken were fully understood in New Zealand English, now 6/1000 Te Reo words spoken are understood in New Zealand English. Could this be renaissance? Including Te Reo, there is also one other contributing factor to New Zealand English, such as Pacific Island dialect. Te Reo and the pacific input combined, greatly influence New Zealanders speech and pronunciation of different words. New Zild is the most innovative, peculiar language. New Zealand English is the only language in the world that can be documented from the beginning which helps predict future dialect. Along with the growing Te Reo pronunciation New Zild is evolving into something that is very interesting and distinctly theirs.

How to Meditate essays

How to Meditate essays With the hectic pace and demands of our modern life, many people feel overwhelmed with stress and personal responsibilities. We often spend more time worrying how our time is spent fitting personal life into business life, than actually enjoying life. Not only does stress and tiredness make us unhappy and frustrated, but it can also have a negative effect on your health. So when you hear the word meditation, many of you will think you wont have time, but meditation actually gives us more time by focusing and calming our distressed minds. Meditation is the key to understanding our own minds. We each have the potential to transform our minds from negative to positive, unhappy to happy. This is the main idea of meditation, to find inner peace in yourself and your environment. You might also be thinking meditation is for religious people, but most meditation is practiced independently. Anyone can benefit from meditation, religious or not. Before you begin the meditation process, you must set the stage. Your environment should be tranquil. If you pick a spot inside, choose a room that is neat, dark, and clean. I try to keep clear from distracting noises such as washing machines, dryers, or your furnace, but not all noises are distracting. For example, when I sleep there has to be some sort of constant noise, such as a fan, to relax my mind. This is also effective for meditation as well. It can be your favorite jazz album or a cassette tape of the ocean crashing against a sandy shore. The main point is to find an environment where you feel at ease and focused. If you pick a place outside, choose a place that has a significant value to you. It might be the banks of a nearby creek where you spent your childhood, like me, or just someplace placid and beautiful. Any place with a lot of trees is nice. If you are a religious person, pick some place where you had an important reli ...

Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Styles

Auditory, Visual and Kinesthetic Learning Styles One way to be truly successful in the classroom is to wrap your head around the three different learning styles according to Flemings VAK (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) model. If you know how you learn best, you can use specific methods to retain what you learn in class. Different learning styles require varied methods to keep you motivated and successful in the classroom. Here is a bit more about each of the three learning styles.   Visual Fleming states that visual learners have a preference for seeing the material in order to learn it. Strengths of the visual learner:  Instinctively follows directionsCan easily visualize objectsHas a great sense of balance and alignmentIs an excellent organizerBest ways to learn:  Studying notes on overhead slides, whiteboards, Smartboards, PowerPoint presentations, etc.Reading diagrams and handoutsFollowing a distributed study guideReading from a textbookStudying alone Auditory With this  learning style, students have to hear information to truly absorb it. Strengths of the auditory learner:Understanding subtle changes in tone in a persons voiceWriting responses to lecturesOral examsStory-tellingSolving difficult problemsWorking in groupsBest ways to learn:Participating vocally in classMaking recordings of class notes and listening to themReading assignments out loudStudying with a partner or group Kinesthetic Kinesthetic learners tend to want to move while learning. Strengths of the kinesthetic learner:Great hand-eye coordinationQuick receptionExcellent experimentersGood at sports, art, and dramaHigh levels of energyBest ways to learn:Conducting experiments  Acting out a playStudying while standing or movingDoodling during lecturesStudying while performing an athletic activity like bouncing a ball or shooting hoops Generally, students tend to favor one learning style more than another, but most people are a mix of two or maybe even three different styles. So, teachers, make sure youre creating a classroom that can engage any type of learner. And students, use your strengths so you can be the most successful student you can be.

EWRT 211 Lessons Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

EWRT 211 Lessons - Personal Statement Example To begin with, the lessons in organization and analysis helped me to improve upon my reading and comprehension skills because I was forced to read and understand the new language that I was learning. I will admit that it was a struggle at first and I wished to have translations available for me but I knew that it would defeat the purpose of this class. So I applied my analytical skills as best as I could and, even with my grammatical mistakes, I am able to say that I was able to understand the lesson. Although my own thoughts on the topic might have been unclear to the reader at the start due to my language limitation. I found myself improving quite a lot when the lessons allowed me to develop my own vivid examples, which in turn helped me to better convey my thoughts in complete sentences. The chance to proofread myself also afforded me to catch my grammatical errors and correct them whenever possible. As my professor, you will also note the great improvement in my written assignments as I progressed in class. Finally being able to provide specific evidence for claims and discussing them in depth has helped me mature as a writer and developed my brains language skills as well. The result of my hard work in this class is that I am now a more accomplished writer in the English language. I am also able to completely analyze the written word and convey my own opinions on the matter in a method that is easily understood by others. My academic maturity in terms of English language use has become more pronounced and has resulted in a remarkable improvement in my confidence as a student when submitting my written work.

The cause(s) of the Civil War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The cause(s) of the Civil War - Research Paper Example This meant a reduction in human labor. On the hand, cotton became very profitable, and many of the southern agricultural areas shifted from other crops to cotton farming, almost making the states a one crop economy, and thus requiring a lot of cheap human labor to meet the great demand and to maximize on profits. This cheap labor was readily available to the landowners in the south in the form of slaves while the north did not require them due to industrialization.2 These differences made the two areas to assume different economic ways of life, with the northern economy becoming city based while the southern continued to be plantation based. This meant that the people in the north evolved into a culture where people of different cultures could work together while those in the south continued to hold unto slavery since they needed the slave labor. The people in the north started to condemn slavery as immoral while the south embraced the same due to their need of massive slave labor, c ausing friction between the north and south. The political leaders of the southern states such as Robert Barnwell and William Lowndes realized that if the slave ownership was abolished in the south, then the southern economy would probably collapse if the slaves were to be paid the high wages that white workers were being paid and thus, they vehemently opposed the idea. Leaders in the north, some of whom were also religious personalities or newspaper personalities opposed the idea of slave ownership on the grounds of morality. Some of these personalities were like William L Garrison who was powerful crusaders for the abolition of the practice. The other issue that was instrumental in causing the civil war was the States versus federal Government’s rights issue. From the time of the American Revolution while states sought autonomy, there emerged two sides, one that advocated for states to have greater rights and the other that the federal government be granted more control.3 T hose that felt that the states should have greater rights like Thomas Jefferson and others agitated for the idea, resulting into the nullification idea, where the states sought to be allowed to have the rights to rule some federal acts unconstitutional. The federal government refused to cede to this demand, which led to the cessation of 11 states from the union of the states leading into the war.4 There also was the fighting between states that approved slavery and those who did not in newly acquired lands as one of the causes of the war. America started to expand after the Louisiana Purchase whereby America purchased 800000 square miles of land at a cost of 15million dollars during the tenure of former president Thomas Jefferson, and also after the Mexican war.5 There arose conflict after this as to whether the new areas admitted to the union, would have slavery or would be granted freedom. Problems arose, for example, when those who advocated for slavery in Missouri known as †Å"border Ruffians† started to come into the state to assist in forcing the state to become a slavery zone. Conflict also occurred in Kansas which made the place be called â€Å"bleeding Kansas† because of the magnitude of the bloodshed in the quest to have this area embrace slavery. The fighting