Sunday, January 26, 2020

Applying Key Sociological Concepts: Poverty

Applying Key Sociological Concepts: Poverty Poverty is a global phenomenon that affects the whole world specially the developing nations. Poverty has affected millions of people suffering from hunger and thirst. Food, clean water, shelter and clothing are the basic needs for an individual to survive. However, people under poverty line have no access to these basic needs maybe due to economic reasons or other factors. According to Gilbert (2004), absolute poverty is the condition of people whose incomes are too low to satisfy their most basic needs (p. 3). Almost half of the world-over three billion people live on less than $2.50 a day (Global Issues, 2013). Poverty is a social issue that needs to be understood how certain class of people were able to cope under certain situation. Sociology bears the importance of helping me to understand poverty by applying sociological concept. Poverty has existed centuries ago and up to now it is still evident in recent society. As a society with interconnected parts, poverty affects not onl y a single person but rather the rest of the community. It is interesting to learn the different facets that contribute to poverty and how sociological perspective can be of use in understanding this dilemma. Illiteracy is one factor that contributes to poverty. Without proper education, people would find it hard to look for a decent job to sustain its everyday consumption and expenses. Generally, if a person cannot read and write, jobs correlating to his qualification would depend on his abilities. Poverty affects the nation economically and pulls the nation behind compared with other industrialized nation. Illiteracy brings down a society to poverty leading to widespread hunger and malnutrition. For instance, according to Igboanusi (2014), there are eight West African countries listed among the lowest ten countries in the world with regards to literacy rates including Burkina Fuso, Niger, Sierra Leone, Benin, Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, and Guinea (p. 83). These are also the poorest countries in the world- an obvious indication that poverty rates and illiteracy rates are closely connected (Igboanusi, 2014, p. 83). The social-conflict approach is a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change (Macionis, Jansson Benoit, 2013, p. 12). Applying this sociological concept means that there is an unequal distribution of wealth between the rich and the poor which creates conflict among developing nations. The inequality between the two dimensions creates a gap which makes the poor becomes poorer and the rich becomes richer. To cite a specific example would be my country where I came from, the Philippines. In the Philippines, people who are in authority holds the power and through their power they take advantage of the poor. Philippine elected politicians use their position to benefit themselves like pocketing the money allotted for public development funds. Recently, there were three Philippine Senators who were charge with graft and plunder cases for taking part in monopolizing the priority development assistance fund (Cayabyab, 2014. pa ra. 1). Also charged is alleged mastermind Janet Lim Napoles, whose bogus non-government organization were allegedly used as dummy fronts to pocket billions of public funds through ghost projects (Cayabyab, 2014, para. 6). Though recently, President Aquino’s administration has been combating enormously to counter corruption in the Philippines and seeks transparency in all government activities. Looking back to social-conflict approach, the inequality between the rich and the poor creates conflict and change in the same way as it is portrayed in the Philippine government. In addition, poverty is a difficult thing to address unless there is a balance and equal opportunity given to all people. The Feminism and Gender-Conflict approach is a point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between men and women (Macionis, Jansson Benoit, 2013, p. 13). Feminism, in my opinion, seeks to find equality between two genders as not to place one gender ahead of the other. In my understanding, gender-conflict approach means that there is a preference of one gender over the other in terms of opportunity and employment sector. A specific example is the nation Botswana. Poverty in Botswana is a gender-based problem that disproportionately affects men and women (Raditloaneng Mulenga, 2003, p. 5). The feminization of poverty is based on measures of poverty as they relate to male and female headed households (Raditloaneng Mulenga, 2003, p. 6). These measures include income, head count ratios, and poverty sector approaches to gender-based poverty (Raditloaneng Mulenga, 2003, p. 6). Women and female headed households tend to suffer poverty and economic marginalization more acutely t han male-headed households in Botswana (Raditloaneng Mulenga, 2003, p. 6). Furthermore, Gilbert (2004) states that women experience a higher rate of poverty than men the world over (p. 179). When we measure poverty by the standard of â€Å"capabilities,† rather than simply income, the gender gap appears even wider, since females have less access to education, are often legally disadvantaged compared to males, and in many parts of the developing world do not yet have an equal voice in the political process (Gilbert, 2004, p. 179). The race-conflict approach is a point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories (Macionis, Jansson Benoit, 2013, p. 14). In my opinion, race-conflict approach means that there is a prejudice among selected people when it comes to origin and background especially to the colored people. They are less regarded in term of employability. This approach relates to underprivileged black people in history wherein they were denied their rights. According to Baldwin Johnson (1996), â€Å"when labor supply curves are upward-sloping, wage discrimination against black men reduces not only their relative wages but also their relative employment rates (p. 302). Intersectional research highlights how barriers to employment for low-income Black women are symptomatic of their double-jeopardy, due to marginalized racial and gender identities (Branch Scherer, 2013, p. 355). Employment options available to black women were characterized by instability, exploitation, and invisibility (Branch Scherer, 2013, p. 355). Driven by economic interests combined with assumptions shaped by gender and race, those in power actively blocked black women from entering better jobs time after time (Duffy, 2013, p. 1130). Though this perception has been casted out in our modern society. I believe in equality to all people whatever their race or ethnicity. In conclusion, seeing a society in a sociological perspective helps me to understand the relationship among individuals and the society he lives in. It gives me a broader idea that a society is an interconnected network of people and people live together and creates their own culture, tradition, and ways of living through interaction. Different sociological theory or approach should be analyzed and understood to be able to relate to what is happening in our present surrounding why people behave in that manner and even sociological events that happen in the past. Likewise, poverty issue is a complex matter that encompasses a lot of sociological concept. It means that to be able to see it in a sociological perspective, I should consider using various approach to be able to understand the culture behind poverty and its consequences to people. References Baldwin, M. L., Johnson, W.G. (1996). The Employment Effects of Wage Discrimination Against Black Men. Industrial Labor Relations Review, 49(2), 302-316. Branch, E., Scherer, M. (2013). Mapping the Intersections in the Resurgence of the Culture of Poverty. Race, Gender Class, 20(3/4), 346-358. Cayabyab, M.J. (2014). Ombudsman files graft charges vs Napoles, Revilla, Estrada, and Revilla: Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from http://newsinfo.inquirer.net /609757/ombudsman-files-graft-charges-vs-napoles-revilla-estrada-enrile Duffy, M. (2013). Opportunity denied: Limiting Black Women to Devalued Work. The American Journal of Sociology, (4), 1129. Galbraith, J. (1979). The Nature of Mass Poverty. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. Gilbert, G. (2004). World Poverty: Contemporary World Issues. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO Inc. Igboanusi, H. (2014). The Role of Language Policy in Poverty Alleviation in West Africa. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2014(225), 75-90. doi:10.1515/ijsl-2013-0066. Macionis, J., Jansson, S. M., Benoit, C. (2013). Society the Basics. Ontario, Canada: Pearson Canada Inc. Raditloaneng, W., Mulenga, D. (2003). Rethinking Poverty and Illiteracy: A case study of Botswana’s Urban Women. Convergence, 36(2), 5-27. Shah, A. (2013). Poverty Facts and Stats: Global Issues. Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Bullying in the Philippines Essay

A few years ago, the idea that bullying in the Philippines is widespread was thought to be a joke. People thought that bullying wasn’t as bad as the bullying seen in American teen movies. We Filipinos thought that bullying isn’t even an issue here in our country. But recently, our eyes have been opened to the reality that bullying is a bigger issue in the Philippines than we originally thought. Out of nowhere, cases like the online bullying of Christopher Lao, Tito Sotto, and the most recent case, Pauline Salvosa. It can really make us wonder how a country we thought of as Bully-free can produce such acts of hate towards another. If people can bully others to this extent even the public’s eye, what about during their everyday lives where they are unsupervised and much freer to do whatever they want, whenever they want to do it; whether it is in the workplace, home, and in this study’s case, at the school. This study will focus on that. Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study is to develop a deeper understanding of the effects that in-class bullying can have on a high school teenager. It is important to study this issue because school is one of the foundations of the formation of an individual’s character. A major challenge confronting DepEd here in the Philippines is the rising number of cases of in-class bullying in the country despite their efforts to stop the occurrence of In-Class Bullying. Sotto, Lao, and Salvosa were all greatly affected by the bullying. Salvoso and Lao were greatly depressed by the verbal attacks, Sotto even created a law against it. If these three victims were really shaken by the bullying, what about the other people who go through bullying every day in their neighborhood, in the workplace, and in school? What about the children in school who also experience this every day? If three grown adults are all affected by this, how much greater does it affect the kids who are still developing their inte llectual and emotional quotients? This will be the focus of the study, and the following questions will be answered: 1.) How much of their self-concept is affected by the bullying? 2.) What actions do these teens consider as bullying? 3.) Are there other factors that affect the development of the Self-Concept other than bullying? 4.) How much of their self-concept has changed over the period of time that the individual has been bullied? 5.) How do the teens cope with the bullying? Research Objectives The study will aim to discover more about how bullying schools affect the formation of one’s self-concept. It will help us in analyzing the effects, thus giving us more ways to deal with it. The research will help open a new dimension of understanding for bullies, parents, and most importantly, the victims themselves, on how to approach the issue of bullying in schools and it will help pave the way in developing a better idea of how to handle a bullying situation. This study will also help us see how big an issue bullying has become here in Baguio city. In order to accomplish these objectives, a survey and a conversational analysis of interviews will be carried out. The survey’s aim is to formulate a universal definition of what the students deem as â€Å"bullying†, while the interviews will help the study determine how the students are affected by in-class bullying. Significance of the Study Bullying is becoming a rather big issue here in the Philippines and this study will help us understand the gravity of the issue that in-class bullying gives. There have been many cases of bullying here in the Philippines, even if we exclude the cyber-bullying cases. The Department of Education has even released a statement about the alarming increase of bullying cases in the country. It is imperative to know why this is happening and how it can be mitigated. The significance of this study is that it may help researchers may use this research’s findings as basis a related research topic. This study might even encourage these future researchers to delve deeper in the issue and create a more detailed and in-depth version of the research topic. It will also serve as basis in the study of the issues related to bullying, the self-concept, and the interpersonal communication patterns of individuals. The study will also provide more in-depth view of the issue of bullying because it focuses on a condition vital to the formation of one’s self-concept. Through this study, students will become aware of the great effects that bullying can have on others and this can help reduce the occurrence of sever bullying cases. Finally, the results of this study will provide some insights and information on how much bullying can change an individual’s view of himself/herself, how it can affect the way they interact with others, and how it c an change their view of the world they live in. Scope and Delimitations The scope of the study will focus on 3rd year – 4th year male and female high school students in Baguio city who are enrolled in schools here in Baguio. These schools are the University of Baguio Science High School. The study does not include students who do not have a junior standing in class. The study will not also focus on the schools that are not enrolled in the top three high schools in Baguio city. This study will not also include out of school teens.

Friday, January 10, 2020

How to write an introduction for a dissertation?

The introduction is the starting point of your dissertation. The reason why the introduction for a dissertation is the most difficult part of the paper is that its main goal is to make a reader interested in the subject you have been researching. What is more, you need to prove why your research matters and what you have managed to achieve in regards to the subject under consideration. Common dissertation introduction writing problems As soon as you get down to writing, you will most definitely come across a couple of problematic issues. The thing is that students typically tend to write dissertation introductions that are lengthier than they are supposed to be. The whole point is lost and it becomes harder for a reader to grasp the main idea. Writing a very detailed introduction is another common problem. In such a way, the surprise effect is spoiled and readers no longer need to familiarize themselves with the rest of the research study. In addition, some students come up with introductions that look like they are formula-written. Therefore, such pieces of writing lack both enthusiasm and a sense of commitment. Main parts of the introduction scope; current scientific situation; motivation; theoretical and practical relevance of the research; brief description of the research design; objective of the study; problem statement; dissertation outline. You need to begin with stating the motive for your research. If you have an interesting example to illustrate your point, do not hesitate to do so, as it will immediately draw the reader’s attention. Then, proceed to describe the topic of your dissertation. Define the subject you want to research. Try to choose something unusual or under-researched. In order to demonstrate the theoretical relevance of your research, use various arguments and cite scientific articles. Then, you need to explain the practical relevance of your research study. Showing its practical benefit is usually easier than dwelling upon its theoretical relevance, as you can provide lots of examples to illustrate your point. Do not forget to mention the practical outcome of your research for the whole field or industry. Keep in mind that there is a difference between the objective and the problem statement of your dissertation. Use research questions to dwell upon the problem statement. The objective, in its turn, is the explanation of the reasons why you have decided to study this particular issue. Thus, you will need to describe what you want to achieve with this research study as well as what outcome you expect. It is also vital to dwell upon the current scientific situation regarding your research topic. What you are required to do is present a few scientific articles that deal with similar issues or ones that are related to your subject of study. Briefly explain the gist and the main message of those articles. The reason why this aspect is so important is that it demonstrates that there is a lot of theoretical information on the issue, which means you will not get stuck while working on it. Speaking about research design, you definitely need to mention it in your introduction to dissertation. Provide a brief summary of it. The last part of your introduction should be the dissertation outline. What you are supposed to do is to briefly describe how your dissertation is constructed. Try to summarize the gist of each chapter in one sentence. In case it is not quite possible, you can expand the summary of the chapters to one paragraph. Keep in mind that the outline should not be repetitively ph rased. Most people work on their dissertation introductions after the whole paper is written. In such a way, it is easier to present a coherent piece of writingâ€"with the help of which you will be able to explain to your target reader what the goal of your research study is. Speaking about the length of the dissertation introduction, there are no specific requirements. This means is your introduction for dissertation should not look like an abstract. However, it does not also mean you are supposed to submit a huge document. Make sure you write to the point. Do not repeat yourself. Present useful information to the reader. Here is a checklist of points your dissertation introduction should consist of: the research topic is limited; the practical relevance is explained; the topic is stimulating; current scientific situation in the field is demonstrated; the objective is stated; the problem statement is formulated; the research design is presented; the dissertation outline is added. It is totally normal if you cannot write a proper dissertation introduction on your first try. It takes time, which is the reason why it is important not to stress out much about it. Take a break. The best advice is to get down to the task of writing an introduction for your dissertation when you are finished with dissertation writing. This way, you will be able to organize your thoughts and submit a piece of writing in which all vital points are showcased. Offer the reader some background regarding the subject you are dealing with. Clarify what the focus of your study is. Do not forget that you will also need to explain why your research study is significant as well and what its value for the field or industry is. Make sure the reader understands the aims of your research, as well as what you are trying to achieve in the long run. The more you dwell upon all these aspects in your introduction, the easier it will be for readers to grasp your main idea. Therefore, they will be able to understand what you are working on, what impact it is going to have, as well as what results can be achieved if you are successful in reaching all these goals you have set. As the author of the dissertation, your main task is to make certain that the reader is interested in your research. You need to show your target audience a clear picture of what they are about to receive once they familiarize themselves with the subject of your research study in detail. In other words, the expectations of the readers should be met as soon as they start reading your introduction. Taking into consideration the fact that your target readers are members of a dissertation committee, what you need to do is to get to the point right away. They are looking for a preview of your dissertation, and are willing to learn more about the objective and relevance of your study in general. Begin with outlining the main argument right away. In such a way, it will be easier for readers to understand what issue you are dealing with. Then, dwell upon the methodology you have used. Explain what tools you have chosen and mention why you have decided to use those particular ones. Do not forget to define the key terms of your dissertation. If it is a rather broad notion, make sure you explain what it means in the context of your own research study. It will give readers a better understanding of your goals and the methods you used in order to achieve the desired result (Cassuto). The introduction to the dissertation is one of the most significant parts of such a piece of writing, because this is the first impression the reader gets when they start reading your document. Therefore, it is a great way to impress your target audience and motivate them to keep reading to find out more about the subject you have chosen to research. When you work on the task of writing the introduction, keep in mind that you may not write everything at once. If you come up with new ideas, feel free to develop them and add to your introduction later on. Make sure that the finished version remains coherent. Taking everything into account, writing an introduction for a dissertation is a complex and time-consuming assignment. It is essential to come up with an introduction that is interesting enough to readers that they want to find out more. Follow the steps highlighted in this article and you will be able to write an impressive dissertation introduction that will consist of all the relevant aspects the members of a dissertation committee pay so much attention to. Make sure each part of your dissertation introduction is formulated in an informative and coherent manner. Do not forget that it should be understandable and easy to read. In case you are currently dealing with term paper writing and are desperately looking for term paper help, feel free to take a look at other materials we have regarding this subject. Some of them might come in handy.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

John Bell Hood in the Civil War

Lieutenant General John Bell Hood was a Confederate commander during the American Civil War (1861-1865). A native of Kentucky, he elected to represent his adopted state of Texas in the Confederate Army and quickly earned a reputation as an aggressive and fearless leader. Hood served in the east until late 1863 and took part in the Army of Northern Virginias campaigns, including Gettysburg. Transferred west, he played a central role at the Battle of Chickamauga and later commanded the Army of Tennessee in its defense of Atlanta. In late 1864, Hoods army was effectively destroyed at the Battle of Nashville. Early Life Career John Bell Hood was born either June 1 or 29, 1831, to Dr. John W. Hood and Theodosia French Hood at Owingsville, KY. Though his father did not wish a military career for his son, Hood was inspired by his grandfather, Lucas Hood, who, in 1794, had fought with Major General Anthony Wayne at the Battle of Fallen Timbers during the Northwest Indian War (1785-1795). Obtaining an appointment to West Point from his uncle, Representative Richard French, he entered school in 1849. An average student, he was nearly expelled by Superintendent Colonel Robert E. Lee for an unauthorized visit to a local tavern. In the same class as Philip H. Sheridan, James B. McPherson, and John Schofield, Hood also received instruction from future adversary George H. Thomas.  Nicknamed Sam and ranked 44th of 52, Hood graduated in 1853, and was assigned to the 4th US Infantry in California. Following peaceful duty on the West Coast, he was reunited with Lee in 1855, as part of Colonel Albert Sidney Johnstons 2nd US Cavalry in Texas. During this time, he was struck in the hand by a Comanche arrow near Devils River, TX during a routine patrol from Fort Mason. The following year, Hood received a promotion to first lieutenant. Three years later, he was assigned to West Point as Chief Instructor of Cavalry. Concerned about the growing tensions between the states, Hood requested to remain with the 2nd Cavalry. This was granted by the US Army Adjutant General, Colonel Samuel Cooper, and he stayed in Texas. Lieutenant General John Bell Hood Rank: Lieutenant GeneralService: US Army, Confederate ArmyNickname(s): SamBorn: June 1 or 29, 1831 in Owingsville, KYDied: August 30, 1879 in New Orleans, LAParents: Dr. John W. Hood, Theodosia French HoodSpouse: Anna Marie HennenConflicts: Civil WarKnown For: Second Manassas, Antietam, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Atlanta, Nashville Early Campaigns of the Civil War With the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, Hood immediately resigned from the US Army. Enlisting in the Confederate Army at Montgomery, AL, he quickly moved through the ranks. Ordered to Virginia to serve with Brigadier General John B. Magruders cavalry, Hood earned early fame for a skirmish near Newport News on July 12, 1861. As his native Kentucky remained in the Union, Hood elected to represent his adopted state of Texas and on September 30, 1861, was appointed as colonel of the 4th Texas Infantry. After a brief period in this post, he was given command of the Texas Brigade on February 20, 1862, and promoted to brigadier general the following month. Assigned to General Joseph E. Johnstons Army of Northern Virginia, Hoods men were in reserve at Seven Pines in late May as Confederate forces worked to halt Major General George McClellans advance up the Peninsula. In the fighting, Johnston was wounded and replaced by Lee. Taking a more aggressive approach, Lee soon commenced an offensive against the Union troops outside Richmond. During the resulting Seven Days Battles in late June, Hood established himself as a daring, aggressive commander who led from the front. Serving under Major General Thomas Stonewall Jackson, the highlight of Hoods performance during the fighting was a decisive charge by his men at the Battle of Gaines Mill on June 27. With the defeat of McClellan on the Peninsula, Hood was promoted and given command of a division under Major General James Longstreet. Taking parting the Northern Virginia Campaign, he further developed his reputation as a gifted leader of assault troops at the Second Battle of Manassas in late August. In the course of the battle, Hood and his men played a key role in Longstreets decisive attack on Major General John Popes left flank and the defeat of Union forces. Lieutenant General John Bell Hood. Library of Congress Antietam Campaign In the wake of the battle, Hood became involved in a dispute over captured ambulances with Brigadier General Nathan G. Shanks Evans. Reluctantly placed under arrest by Longstreet, Hood was ordered to leave the army. This was countered by Lee who allowed Hood to travel with the troops as they began the invasion of Maryland. Just prior to the Battle of South Mountain, Lee returned Hood to his post after the Texas Brigade marched by chanting Give us Hood! At no point did Hood ever apologize for his conduct in the dispute with Evans. In the battle on September 14, Hood held the line at Turners Gap and covered the armys retreat to Sharpsburg. Three days later at the Battle of Antietam, Hoods division raced to the relief of Jacksons troops on the Confederate left flank. Putting in a brilliant performance, his men prevented the collapse of the Confederate left and succeeded in driving back Major General Joseph Hookers I Corps. Attacking with ferocity, the division suffered over 60% casualties in the fighting. For Hoods efforts, Jackson recommended that he be elevated to major general. Lee concurred and Hood was promoted on October 10. That December, Hood and his division were present at the Battle of Fredericksburg but saw little fighting on their front. With the arrival of spring, Hood missed the Battle of Chancellorsville as Longstreets First Corps had been detached for duty around Suffolk, VA. Gettysburg Following the triumph at Chancellorsville, Longstreet rejoined Lee as Confederate forces again moved north. With the Battle of Gettysburg raging on July 1, 1863, Hoods division reached the battlefield late in the day. The next day, Longstreet was ordered to attack up the Emmitsburg Road and strike the Union left flank. Hood opposed the plan as it meant his troops would have to assault a boulder-strewn area known as the Devils Den. Requesting permission to move to the right to attack the Union rear, he was refused. As the advance started around 4:00 PM, Hood was badly wounded in his left arm by shrapnel. Taken from the field, Hoods arm was saved, but it remained disabled for the remainder of his life. Command of the division passed to Brigadier General Evander M. Law whose efforts to dislodge Union forces on Little Round Top failed. Chickamauga After recuperating in Richmond, Hood was able to rejoin his men on September 18 as Longstreets corps was shifted west to aid General Braxton Braggs Army of Tennessee. Reporting for duty on the eve of the Battle of Chickamauga, Hood directed a series of attacks on the first day before overseeing a key assault which exploited a gap in the Union line on September 20.  This advance drove much of the Union army from the field and provided the Confederacy with one of its few signature victories in the Western Theater. In the fighting, Hood was badly wounded in the right thigh which required the leg to be subsequently amputated a few inches below the hip. For his bravery, he was promoted to lieutenant general effective that date. Lieutenant General John Bell Hood. Public Domain The Atlanta Campaign Returning to Richmond to recover, Hood befriended Confederate President Jefferson Davis. In the spring of 1864, Hood was given command of a corps in Johnstons Army of Tennessee. Tasked with defending Atlanta from Major General William T. Sherman, Johnston conducted a defensive campaign which included frequent retreats. Angered by his superiors approach, the aggressive Hood wrote several critical letters to Davis expressing his displeasure. The Confederate president, unhappy with Johnstons lack of initiative, replaced him with Hood on July 17. Given the temporary rank of general, Hood was only thirty-three and became the youngest army commander of the war. Defeated on July 20 at the Battle of Peachtree Creek, Hood launched a series of offensive battles in an attempt to push back Sherman. Unsuccessful in each attempt, Hoods strategy only served to weaken his already out-numbered army. With no other options, Hood was compelled to abandon Atlanta on September 2. The Tennessee Campaign As Sherman prepared for his March to the Sea, Hood and Davis planned a campaign to defeat the Union general. In this, Hood sought to move north against Shermans supply lines in Tennessee forcing him to follow. Hood then hoped to defeat Sherman before marching north to recruit men and join Lee in the siege lines at Petersburg, VA. Aware of Hoods operations to the west, Sherman dispatched Thomas Army of the Cumberland and Schofields Army of the Ohio to protect Nashville while he moved towards Savannah. Crossing into Tennessee on November 22, Hoods campaign was beset with command and communication issues. After failing to trap part of Schofields command at Spring Hill, he fought the Battle of Franklin on November 30. Assaulting a fortified Union position without artillery support, his army was badly mauled and six generals killed. Unwilling to admit defeat, he pressed on to Nashville and was routed by Thomas on December 15-16. Retreating with the remnants of his army, he resigned on January 23, 1865. Later Life In the final days of the war, Hood was dispatched to Texas by Davis with the goal of raising a new army. Learning of Davis capture and the surrender of Texas, Hood surrendered to Union forces at Natchez, MS on May 31. After the war, Hood settled in New Orleans where he worked in insurance and as a cotton broker. Marrying, he fathered eleven children before his death from yellow fever on August 30, 1879. A gifted brigade and division commander, Hoods performance dropped as he was promoted to higher commands. Though renowned for his early successes and ferocious attacks, his failures around Atlanta and in Tennessee permanently damaged his reputation as a commander.