The American Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The American Civil War - Essay Example According to the Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference, page 53, â€Å"Long before the Civil War, the terms â€Å"North† and â€Å"South† had acquired fixed geographic and cultural certainty for Americans. In 1767, two English astronomers, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, completed a survey that marked what had been a disputed boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland. By the early nineteenth century, the line of demarcation had become more significant; most free states were entirely north of the Mason-Dixon line (parts of Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, and Ohio fell below it) and most slave states were entirely to the south of it. Although this remains to a large extent accurate, there were some deviations from it during the war.†2 The two sections of the United States, the North and the South, were very different geographically, economically, culturally and to a large part, politically. Yet they shared many commonalities. Both spoke the same English la nguage. Both had gone through the Revolutionary War. Both groups were predominately Protestant. Both were fiercely independent. However, there were stark differences as well. Again, to quote from The Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference, â€Å"the regional differences were striking and had become the subject of frequent comment. The ethnic diversity of New York and Pennsylvania contrasted with the ethnic homogeneity in most of the white south; the religious practices of the Puritan in New England differed greatly from those of the Anglicans in Virginia. Some 1,200 miles separated Maine in the North from Florida in the South, but slavery could make the two sections appear worlds apart. The slave system in the South and the free labor capitalism of the North produced two distinct economic philosophies that shaded Americans’ views of those living on the opposite side of the Mason-Dixon Line†.3 Some say that lack of understanding from either side caused men to will ing take up arms against each other, even against family members. Many argue that cultural and political issues propelled the nation into civil war. Indeed they certainly had their part. Politically the North was predominately Republican while the South was predominately Democrat. But as Page Smith said in his book, Trial by Fire, â€Å"The civil war took place because the Southern states felt that they could no longer tolerate their status as members of the Union.† (pg1)4 Smith goes on to discard any suggestion that economy, sectionalism or politics, had any legitimate influence on launching the bloodiest conflict in our nation’s history. He emphatically claims that the institution of slavery and, more specifically, the determination of the North to limit it and the South to extend it were the exact and specific cause of the war. In determining whether or not the Civil War was repressible this question must be asked. Would there have been a Civil War if slavery had no t existed in the United States? Stephen Oakes, in his The Approaching Fury, speaks of a major issue regarding slaves and slave states which was current

Analyis of financial objectives, financials projecttions and Essay

Analyis of financial objectives, financials projecttions and investment decisions - Essay Example These objectives are designed and reviewed at fixed intervals, discrepancies are identified and finally based on reviews suggestions are employed to meet the desired gaps. In same trend management of the company in the year end 2012 called up board meeting and planned company objectives for the next three years. This report is based on the review of the planned objectives. For the purpose, this report provided critical analysis of the set forth objectives along with its comparison with competitors’ objectives. Section II of the report has developed financials (comprising of income statement and balance sheet) for the next three years i.e. 2013- 2015 and has made an attempt to review level of alignment between objectives and financials. Section III of the report provides review of investment decision that company intends to make pertaining to cost of capital and its impact on shareholders wealth. Lastly, the report provides concluding remarks based on the overall review. 1- OBJ ECTIVE EVALUATION In the board meeting held in the ending of the current year, management has highlighted corporate objectives and future direction for the next three years. These objectives have been set based on the financial position for the current year 2012. Financial objectives for the next three years are as follows: 1- To maintain the profit margin around 24% 2- To ensure the current strong financial position is maintained 3- To satisfy shareholders by maintaining the dividend payout ratio of 50% ANALYSIS OF THE FINANCIAL OBJECTIVES Apparently the objectives appear to be suitable for the overall business. However, since the case do not provide detailed financial information, therefore, it is difficult to accept these objectives in alignment with the overall objectives across departments. For instance, maintaining profit margin at 24% refers that Aztec Catering has either plans to maintain the strong control over cost or would increase its prices to maintain to meet the objec tive or increase sales. Both options have their implications mainly for following factors: 1- Level of competition 2- Inflation 3- Only in case if all other things remain same Keeping under consideration, Aztec Catering is competing with Compass group which comparatively bigger business concern. Therefore, increasing price would divert its customer to the competitor and there is ample chance for Aztec Catering to lose customer base. On contrary, reducing overall cost or developing stronger control over cost items is the other option. As stated in the given option, objective of Compass group is to provide the best services to its customers refers that Compass group would provide more value added offerings to its customer. Providing value added products would increase cost while being bigger concern it can easily attain the benefit of economies while Aztec Catering in order to remain competitive has to increase its offerings as well that resultantly would rise in cost. Hence, there ar e all chances that cost would increase in a greater proportion than sales. Therefore, cost control appears somewhat difficult option. Considering the third option of increasing sales also require increased marketing and other activities that would also increase cost. Therefore, it with the given information it is difficult to infer the ways Aztec Catering would maintain the profit margin of 24%. The given information has also not accounted the other factors that increasing cost. For instance, for the target that have been set the given informa