8) Symbols of the usa government: Figures of Justice
O
ne
of the most recognized legal symbols is that of Justice. Justice is
most commonly portrayed in the U.S. as a
blindfolded woman carrying a sword and a set of scales.
She symbolizes the fair and equal administration of the law, without
corruption, greed, prejudice, or favour.
The idea of a woman portraying Justice dates back to the ancient Greek and Roman images of Themis and Justicia. Themis, the Greek goddess of justice and law, was known for her clear-sightedness. In Roman mythology, Justicia (Justice) was one of the four Virtues. The others were Prudence, Fortitude, and Temperance.
Justice can be seen in three places on the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC.
1. The Contemplation of Justice Statue (a seated female figure in a shawl) studies the smaller statue of Justice. This Justice is blindfolded and cradles a set of scales in her arms. This marble statue of Justice is about 4.5 feet high.
2. At the base of the lampposts is a bas-relief of Justice. This Justice is also blindfolded and holds scales in her left hand and a sword in her right.
3. Justice appears without a blindfold on the west wall in the Courtroom. This Justice is based on the story of the battle between Good Versus Evil. Her eyes are fixed on Evil to her right, and she is ready to protect the forces of Good with her sword.
9) Uncle Sam
U
ncle
Sam,
a figure symbolizing the United States, is portrayed as a tall,
white-haired man with a goatee. He is often dressed in red, white,
and blue, and wears a top hat.
The exact origins of Uncle Sam as a symbol for the United States are unknown. But the most widely accepted theory is that Uncle Sam was named after Samuel Wilson.
During the War of 1812, Samuel Wilson was a businessman from Troy, NY that supplied the U.S. Army with beef in barrels. The barrels were labelled “U.S”. When asked what the initials stood for, one of Wilson’s workers said it stood for Uncle Sam Wilson. The suggestion that the meat shipments came from “Uncle Sam” led to the idea that Uncle Sam symbolized the Federal Government and association stuck. In 1961, Congress passed a resolution that recognized Samuel Wilson as the inspiration for the symbol Uncle Sam.
But Sam Wilson looked nothing like the Uncle Sam pictured above. Uncle Sam’s traditional appearance, with a white goatee and star-spangled suit, is an invention of artists and political cartoonists. One of these political cartoonists was named Thomas Nast. Nast produced many of the earliest cartoons of Uncle Sam.
The most famous picture of Uncle Sam appeared on an Army recruiting poster. The poster was designed in World War I, and was used again in World War II. The caption reads “I Want You for U.S. Army”. James Montgomery Flagg drew this picture, and served as the model too!
5. Scandinavian Invasion and Scandinavian borrowings
For three centuries a struggle went on between the little Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, such as Kent, Essex, Wessex and others. The kingdoms were at war with one another. The stronger kings took the land from the smaller kingdoms. At the end of the 8th century another branch of the Germanic people began to attack Britain.
There were two Scandinavian peoples, the Danes and Norwegians. The Danes became the invaders of England and the Norwegians invaded Scotland and Ireland.
The Danes were of the same Germanic race as the Anglo-Saxons themselves. They were brave, cruel, merciless people living in tribes. They were well armed with swords, spears, daggers, battleaxes and bows. It was in 793 that the Danes carried out their first raids in Britain. Thus began the fourth conquest of Britain. They burnt churches and monasteries. Their raids were successful because the kingdom of England had neither a regular army nor a fleet in the North Sea to meet them.
In the 10th century under the rule of Alfred the Great, the grandson of Egbert, the Saxon monarchy was further consolidated and won several victories over the Danes. The Danes were not driven out of the country, but they were made subjects of Wessex. They were not very much different from the Anglo-Saxons among whom they lived because they were also of Germanic origin as we mentioned before. The Danes influenced the development of the country greatly... They were good sailors and traders. They were skilful shipbuilders. The whole country formed the united kingdom.
At the beginning of the 11th century England was conquered by the Danes once more. The Danish king Canute (1017-1035) became king of Denmark, Norway and England. He made England the centre of his power. But he was often away from England in his kingdom of Denmark and so he divided the country into four parts called earldoms. They were Wessex, Mercia, Northumbria and East Anglia. The earls ruled over great territories and became very powerful. The clergy also grew more powerful.
After the death of Canute an Anglo-Saxon king came to the throne (1042) and the line of Danish kings came to an end.
The Scandinavian Element (the 8th century – 1042)
Nouns: anger, fellow, gate, husband, sky, window.
Adjectives: ill, low, odd, ugly, flat, awkward, weak.
Verbs: crawl, gape, gasp, get, give, lift, die, take, raise, struggle.
Pronouns: same, both, they.
Scandinavian settlements in England left their toponymic traces in a great number of places:
e. g. – by (from Sc. byr- “settlement, village”) Derby, Rugby, Grimsby
(Sc. foss- “waterfall”) Fossbury, Fossway
(Sc. thorp- “village”) Althorp, Beythorp
(Sc. thvelt- “meadow”) Applethwalte, Cowperthwalte.
Some English words change their meanings taking on the meanings of the corresponding Scandinavian words, e.g.:
Sc. draumr – dream (OE “joy”)
Sc. brauth – bread (OE “crumb”, “fragment”).