Je Suis Intress(e) Dans French Mistake

A common mistake when learning French is to use the phrase je suis  intà ©ressà ©(e)  dans to mean I am interested in. This is a tricky one because students translate literally and it doesnt work in French for many reasons. Use PAR (Not Dans) We say je suis intà ©ressà ©(e) PAR blablabla. Je suis intà ©ressà ©(e) par le cinà ©ma.Im interested in cinema. But it gets more complicated than that... In French, you could also say sintà ©resser à   Je mintà ©sse au cinà ©maIm interested in cinema You Must Flip Your Sentence Around Both these translations are fine grammatically. But its unlikely a French person would use these constructions at all. We would flip our sentence around. Le cinà ©ma mintà ©resse.Im interested in cinema Etre Intress = To Have Hidden Motives Watch out that à ªtre intà ©ressà © - followed by nothing can also be a way to describe someone who has hidden motives, bad intentions... Like someone who does something that looks genuine but has hidden reasons. Il prà ©tend à ªtre son ami, mais en fait il est intà ©ressà © (par... son argent par exemple).He pretends to be his friend but in reality, he is after something (his money for example).

Religion in Public Schools Essay - 2315 Words

Religious Rights in Public Schools JESUS in the classroom! Are you feeling uncomfortable yet? Religion in the public school systems is among the top of the list of controversial topics in American society, Weve long been advised to avoid this and other religiously politically intertwined subjects in polite conversation. If youre like most Americans, this topic makes you frustrated, high strung, or at least a little queasy. From the day the 1st amendment right appeared in the U.S. Constitution, to this present day, and surely into our nations tomorrows, the proper role of religion in public schools has been, is, and will continue to be a subject of great debate. It is important for school officials, parents, and students†¦show more content†¦The second is known as the Free Exercise Clause, which prohibits congress from removing the right of the people to freely exercise any religion, or none at all. Although these two clauses of the 1st amendment right seem simple to understand and clear and direct in its meanings, there is no doubt that the 1st amendment needs breathing space and room for interpretation, and statutes attempting to restrict or burden the exercise of First Amendment rights must be narrowly drawn (Herndon v. Lowry, 1937). For example, even the most stringent protection of religious rights would not protect a teacher from sacrificing her students in the name of religion. Every case, whether it be as ridiculous as the one above or a situation that would be much more relevant to every day life is confronted with a question, was the religious expression used in such circumstances or are they of a nature that creates a clear and present danger? Congress has a right to prevent those instances that will bring about substantive evils. In the end the question is one of proximity and degree (Holmes, 1999). Since this amendment first appeared in December of 1791, there have been hundreds of court cases, ruling on the religious rights of students, teachers and other officials in public schools. These court cases with their extraordinary impact, have paved the way to the educational system we have today. Though schools were originally founded for the purpose of inculcatingShow MoreRelatedReligion : Public Schools And Religion2002 Words   |  9 PagesReligion in Public Schools Issues involving public schools and religion have been topics involving intense debate. It is difficult for the government to elucidate the appropriate boundaries of religion in the public schools. It is true that teaching about religion is permitted in the public education systems, but the real question is where the margin should be set between teaching religion and simply teaching about religion. It is almost impossible to teach about the history of the United StatesRead MoreEssay on Religion in Public Schools 1442 Words   |  6 PagesThe subject of religion in public schools is one that has been debated vigorously and passionately. The warriors from the Right and Left fail to appreciate the facts because they are caught up in the rhetoric and have difficulty viewing this emotional topic dispassionately (Haynes, 2011). Both sides are right about one thing: this is an important subject. The debate on religion in the public school is complicated by the fact that there are two clauses dealing with religion in the First AmendmentRead MoreFreedom of Religion in Public Schools1748 Words   |  7 Pagesthe individual practice of religion in school has become a very controversial topic. There are many different views on this matter and even more opinions on how it should be handled. There are people on both sides of the spectrum, there are those who believe that it should be taught and allowed in school, and there are those who believe it should not be taught or practiced in school. There have been cases brought to court about how religion should be taken out of schools, or if it should be allowedRead MoreThe Practice of Religion in Public Schools762 Words   |  4 PagesThe Practice of Religion in Public Schools The â€Å"establishment† or â€Å"religion† clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution reads: â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof† (Education Week, 2003, para. 2). It is from this clause that the idea of separation of church and state comes. It is also the basis for much of the debate regarding the practice of religion in public schools (Education Week, 2003). OneRead MoreReligion and Public school Essay1652 Words   |  7 Pagesestablished religion. To prevent this from happening in America, the Framers of the constitution banished the ability for the state to interfere with religion, and vice versa. Yet over time this mixture of government and religion has been tested, especially in cases involving school and religion. Like any argument, there is a party which agrees and another which disagrees. When looking at schools and practices of religion, there is a side that believ e the mixture of school and religion is just andRead MoreReligion in Public Schools Essay1131 Words   |  5 PagesDefinition: Religion in school is the practice of any personal religious beliefs in a place of education. Introduction: In recent years teaching or the individual practice of religion in school has become a very controversial topic. There are many different views on this matter and even more opinions on how it should be handled. There are people on both sides of the spectrum, there are those who believe that it should be taught and allowed in school, and there are those who believe it shouldRead More Religion In Public Schools Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pages Religion in Public Schools nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof......Ó according to the First Amendment of the Constitution. This idea of freedom of religion has been stated very clearly, but it also raises questions about the meaning of religious freedom . Should religious expression be excluded from all government activities? Has separation of church and state been violated by the U.S. TreasuryRead More Religion in Public Schools Essay602 Words   |  3 Pages Religion in Public Schools Are you religious? Do you have children? What kind of environment would you like your child in while he/she is in school? A century ago, most of America’s public schools were religious schools. Over time the state has redesigned schools in order to make schools for all children and not alienate any students. The Supreme Court then accelerated the movement in 1962 when it declared that prayer in public schools was unconstitutional. Then one year later the court removedRead More No Religion or School Prayer in Public Schools Essay3018 Words   |  13 PagesConstitution was adopted, the separation of church and state issue focused on preventing a government mandated religion (Davis 245). The framers of the Constitution knew first hand the harmful consequences of a government that has complete control over religion. Protecting the religious freedoms of the various religions seeking refuge in America also raised great concern. Each religion s hould be given the same rights wh en practicing their beliefs. For these reasons, the First Amendment of hteRead More Religion and School Prayer in Public Schools Essays1853 Words   |  8 Pagespractice the same religion, Americas first legislators made certain that government intervention in religious matters was prohibited. Therefore, religious freedom was ensured in the First Amendment to the Constitution, as it states, Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. . . (Whitehead, Rights 49). This statement allowed Americans to f reely express and practice or chose not to practice a religion. The two distinct parts

Remembering an Event Free Essays

Remembering an Event It was spring, and the weather was just right for softball season. Friday night, the big stadium lights were shining right down on us. We were actually here I thought to myself we really made it this far. We will write a custom essay sample on Remembering an Event or any similar topic only for you Order Now My softball team and I were playing for a chance to go to the state tournament, which was something unexpected coming from a team that was never ranked in pre-season or throughout district but until now. Throughout our season we lost two games against a team that was good, but also had a lot of cockiness. San Rayburn was that team, and it so happened to be the team that we had to play to go to the state tournament as well. From the moment we got off that bus at the McKinney Bulldogs field we didn’t know what to expect. Walking to the field’s one of the vehicles we passed had â€Å"Austin Here We Come†. That put some ice in my veins right away. Turning that corner to the view of the field was something I never will forget. San Rayburn was in the field dancing, playing, singing, joking, and thinking that they had already had us defeated because of what had happened in district. Yeah sure they were goofing off but they took it to an extreme what we had prepared ourselves for was nothing like that. Since they had never fully prepared themselves for us, and they thought they had us in the bag. We won our games against then 9-0, and 3-0. It was the first time in Blue Ridge High School history that girls’ softball team had ever advanced to the State tournament, it was incredible. We couldn’t believe that a team that had never been ranking made it this far; everyone had underestimated Blue Ridge softball but the team itself. I remember after the game as we got back on the bus after the victories over San Rayburn our coach proceeded to tell us he overheard one of the San Rayburn parents canceling their rooms in Austin and he implied â€Å"Book it back, where going to be needing them now†, which still plays as a mini clip in my head. We were going to Austin! We had less than a week to prepare, pack and be in Austin. Wednesday finally had an arrived, we gathered in our locker room to pray and head-out tears; started falling from faces this had actually came true. What wasn’t excepted next was our superintendent had gathered the whole entire school of Blue Ridge to watch as we left for Austin. It was incredible; all I saw was sign, after sign, after sign. The little kids from elementary sticking out there hands to give us high-fives like we were superstars, it was unbelievable. As our bus journey to Austin began it was quite entertaining you could say. Could you imagine a group of twelve girls and only two coaches which just happened to be males together for five and half hour on a bus, it was insane. Luckily, half way to Austin our coach stood up and announced that we would be stopping to have practice. We that thought yeah that’s cool, we figured we would since we were going to be having a game tomorrow. What our coach neglected to tell us that we were going to be having practice on the Baylor Bears field! This field was nothing like the field we played on back home. The infield and outfield both were a lot smoother, no hole’s or rock’s in our way. The Baylor Bears coach gave us a speech while we were there about encouragement and that the underdogs always find their way if they truly want it. We arrived at our hotel later that day which took us almost an hour or so to adjust and get settled in. The first thing we looked for in our rooms was the double door, which they did and on top of that it included a balcony. I really don’t remember if I ever went to sleep that night, my brain was still processing that we had made it to the state tournament. Six o’clock came early that next day as we were scheduled to play at nine that morning against Mart for the State Semi-Finalist. No-one expected us to win, but against all odds, we did it was remarkable. One of the previous teams we had played during play-offs Italy, coach was there. Her face after our win was unforgettable; she was puzzled that we were playing for the state tittle. Italy’s coach thought that that should have been her team, but it wasn’t. To celebrate our big win over Mart, later that night our team and families went out for dinner and as the darkness of night settled we were able to see the bat’s adventure out into the night sky. This was an overwhelming day you could say. Later that night we returned back to our hotel for some late night swimming, elevator tag which got us into trouble but was quit entertaining, and call’s for dessert at three in to morning! Luckily we had the next day to rest and prepare for the championship game for the following day. Since we still had one more game to play and we had an extra day in-between games. All of us girls had a choice whether to spend the day at the hotel or go out and shop at San Marcus. Of course we went shopping, who wouldn’t have, that’s what girls do best. We shopped for a couple hours, ate lunch, shopped for a little more, had ice cream. I couldn’t take it after that my feet were killing me. When we arrived at the hotel I put on my bathing suit and headed straight to the hot tub. We were able to sleep in till nine for our next game since it wasn’t till noon. My thought when I woke up that morning was I was actually going to be playing for the state tittle. We didn’t care if we won or lost it was all about the experience and how much fun we had had. We were playing Forsan, who had won state to year before. Unfortunately, we didn’t win that day. Yeah we could have had a ring but still that didn’t matter to us we were never expected to be here from the start but we were. After we achieved our melts some people were crying, some were sad, not me. I had the biggest smile on my face from ear to ear. Why not be excited, we had done something no one expected us to do, no one in the state of Texas thought we could have, yet we did. After our game we got the chance to explore the UT girls’ softball lock room, it was quite interesting first thing you notice is the couch with a huge 72† TV and Xbox nothing I expected in a women’s lock room maybe in a men’s. In the lock room we were given state finalist shirt and a bag that our medal would be able to go in to store them. The medal was much bigger and heavier than expected. Imagine the size of an average palm of a hand if not bigger which is significantly large. This trip was something not most high school athletes get to experience, but I did. It was full of everything but regrets. If there’s one thing I took home with me beside them medal, it was that even though we were never supposed to be in the state tournament we were, we were never supposed to win against mart and get a chance at the state tittle, yet we did. Even though we lost, it shows you that the underdogs should never be underestimated. And this story is a prime example of it. How to cite Remembering an Event, Papers Remembering an event Free Essays Before wrestling was always that little overweight kid who was instantly being made fun of when I was in elementary and middle school, which explains why I’m shy sometimes towards people because I’m afraid I might be judged. Also at home when I was young, I would always get yelled at for everything that did even when I didn’t do anything’s because was the oldest of my brother and sister. All know is that I didn’t like my childhood at all as I was growing up. We will write a custom essay sample on Remembering an event or any similar topic only for you Order Now When became a teenager, I started high school and things changed. Things started to change when started high school, I darted making new friends, and was also ditching a lot and making terrible decisions. Freshman year wasn’t that bad because wasn’t failing, but at the same time I wasn’t getting good Benefactors grades. Sophomore year I started lowering my grades because started hanging out with kids older than me, so would ditch a lot. They weren’t in gangs or anything bad, they were just older than me and had cars. I already had the thought in my head that wasn’t going to go to college, or that wasn’t going to do anything good in my life. Once I started noir year everything changed. I met this kid in my class named Juan, who was into military things and sports that had to do with fighting. In the winter, Juan had told me that he wanted to join wrestling, and that I should join with him, so I did. When the season started I didn’t think I was going to stick with it because I didn’t know anybody, and would get tired quickly. Weeks passed and I started to learn more moves, and I also began losing weight and gaining muscle. I began eating healthier and started lifting more weights. The coach loud always joke around with us after we had a good practice and serious if he saw that we didn’t try at all. The thing that made everybody look up to the coach and respect him was that he would give us motivational speeches before and after our matches, which made me win each time. Senior year came, and got the varsity spot for heavyweight and that made me get really excited. The coach talked to me and told me that if wanted the spot permanently and also to be in the team, I had to stop ditching my classes and start getting my grades up. Ewe the coach was right so told him that I would, and I did. That year was my best season because I went undefeated for 14 matches, and I won four tournaments first place, and my final record was 22-4. By the end of senior year, I had made a lot of friends, and also I was passing my classes, and if I wanted to Benefactors graduate all had to do was make up the classes that I failed my freshman and sophomore year by attending night s chool. This event changed me by making me try harder in life if I want to achieve my goals. At the end of it all wrestling was en of the biggest events that I want to keep remembering for the rest of my year came, and I got the varsity spot for heavyweight and that made me get really excited. The coach talked to me and told me that if I wanted the spot start getting my grades up. I knew the coach was right so I told him that would, and did. Thayer was my best season because I went undefeated for 14 matches, and won four tournaments first place, and my final record Benefactors graduate all I had to do was make up the classes that failed my one of the biggest events that want to keep remembering for the rest of my life. How to cite Remembering an event, Papers

Catherine The Great Essay Example For Students

Catherine The Great Essay Throughout history, Russia has been viewed as a regressive cluster of barely civilized people on the verge of barbarism. In the eighteenth century, ideas of science and secularism grasped hold of Europe, and Russian Czars, realizing how behind Muscovite culture was, sought out this knowledge, attempting to imbed it into Russian society. Catherine II was one of these Czars. She listened to both the ideas of the philosophes and the problems of her people and strove to enlighten Russia by codifying the laws, establishing an elected government, funding hospitals, and forming a functioning school board. Her attempts, however, were met with only partial success. Her reforms received much criticism, especially from the serfs, and Catherine was forced to realize, through the Pugachev Rebellion in 1773, that enlightening all of Russia was an impossibility. Catherine IIs greatest glory was seen in her foreign policies, as she solved two fundamental problems for Russia by winning victories over Turkey and Poland. As well, she established a League of Armed Neutrality and spoke out against the French Revolution. Catherines reign created both prosperity and poverty for Russia. In order to decide whether she was truly great, one must evaluate her accomplishments upon the foundation of Russian ideals. At the end of the seventeenth century, Russia was a country in transition. The death of Czar Alexis in 1676 marked a change in Russian society, a movement from traditional Muscovite culture toward new, educated concepts. Reforms in the 1650s divided and weakened the Russian Orthodox Church, and a few bold individuals began to adopt a semi-westernized lifestyle. By western standards, however, Russia still seem backward, and at best, a fringe nation of Europewithout benefit of middle class, universities, academies, or secular culture (Oblensky and Stone 144). The rebellion of the musketeers, or streltsy, in 1682 exposed a web of destructive feuds, religious superstition and xenophobia within Russia. Peter I took the throne in 1682 and reigned until 1725, with themes of war, love of foreigners, and love of the sea marking his rule. He and his army defeated Sweden at Poltava in 1709, he founded a navy at St. Petersburg, and he expanded the policy of hiring foreigners. Peter wrought numerous changes, attempting to impose order on the Russian society, but, along with these reforms, he forged a gap between the upper Russian classes and the peasant population. After his death, Russia was turned over to several meager Czars: Peters wife, Catherine I, a self-indulged illiterate, from 1725-27; Peter, his 12 year old grandson, from 1727-30; his niece A nna, a woman with no political interests from 1730-40; and Ivan VI, an infant from, 1740-41 (Oblensky and Stone 145). In 1741, Peters daughter, Elizabeth was raised to the throne, overthrowing Ivan VI. Lavish baroque palaces, an increase in western culture, and the taking of Berlin from Prussia in the Seven Years War characterized her reign. Again, Russia seemed to be establishing itself as a powerful society. However, Elizabeths successor, Peter III, undid much of what she had accomplished, as he returned Russias gains from the Seven Years War to his hero Frederick the Great (Oblensky and Stone 145). Within six months of his succession, Peter was overthrown by a Guards coup in favour of his German wife, Catherine II. Catherine was thirty-three years old when she ascended the Russian throne. She had survived a loveless marriage, in which ambition alone sustained her (Gooch 6). Ignored by her husband, Peter III, she dedicated her time to learning the Russian language, studying the writings of the philosophes, and adapting cleverly to her new environmentskills which constitute important aspects of her reign. Schooled by these teachings, she favoured religious tolerance, justice tempered with mercy (Gooch 91), education for women, civil rights determined within the bounds of class and estate, and the classical style in art and architecture. A women quite out of the ordinary, Catherine possessed high intelligence, a natural ability to administer and govern, a remarkable practical sense, energy to spare, and an iron will (Riasanovsky 256). Along with her determination went courage and optimism, self-control, skill in discussion and propaganda, and a clever handling of men and circumstances to best serve her ends. Yet, together with her virtues, Catherine had certain weaknesses: her determination easily became ruthlessness, just as her ambition became vanity (Gooch 96). Even Catherine IIs admirers sometimes noticed that she lacked something, call it charity, mercy, or human sympathy (Riasanovsky 256). Indisputably, however, for the first time since Peter the Great, Russia had acquired a sovereign who worked day and night, paying personal attention to all kinds of matters, great and small. Catherine began her reign with numerous enlightened, ambitious ideas, based on her readings of the philosophes. She took the first step toward liberalism by forming the Legislative Commission in which elections were introduced, codifying the Russian laws, creating a uniform school system and establishing a branch of public hospitals. Upon her inauguration to the throne, Catherine had asked God to help her observe the law of the Orthodox Church, strengthen and defend the beloved fatherland, preserve justice, eradicate evil, all lies and impositions, and finally, to set up state institutions, by means of which the government would work within set limits and each department would have a defined sphere of action so that general good order would be maintained. For these purposes, she investigated every case that had come to her attention in order to discover the shortcomings that existed in Russia and how to best relieve them (Dukes 51). In the first year of her reign, she noticed the general confusion and the inadequacy existing in the arrangement and the application of imperial laws. Peter the Great attempted twice to codify Russias laws, first in 1700 and again in 1714, with similar attempts made by his successors, particularly Elizabeth. None, however, were successful. For two years Catherine prepared her Instructions, or Nakaza set of principles which reflected her opinions on the political and legal structure desirable for Russia (Hosking 95). Although Catherine had no intention of granting her subjects a constitution, and although her propaganda greatly exaggerated the radical nature of her intentions, the Nakaz was a strikingly liberal document (Riasanovsky 258). To discover the needs and wants of the Russian people, Catherine formed a Law Code Commission in 1767. The members were elected in local gatherings of the relevant estates: the nobility, the townsfolk, the state peasants, the Cossacks, the odnodvortsydescendants of the militarized peasants who had staffed the frontier linesand the non-Russians. (Hosking 98). Deputies were sent to Moscow from all districts and towns, each with their own nakaz, or cahier, in which the requests and statements of grievance originating from their electors were drafted. However, the representatives were insensitive to the broad vision of creative statesmanship laid before them by their monarch (Dukes 100) and efforts were directed only at obtaining what they could within the existing system rather than recommending fundamental reforms. Catherine was quick to realize that the members were unaware of the needs of society as a whole and that they were unable to exercise self-restraint for the general good (Dukes 101). Conveniently, she dismissed the Commission in 1768 when Russia went to war against Turkey. Nevertheless, the drafts written by the electives were not wasted, as the materials were employed in a Description of the Russian Empire and its International Administration and Legal Enactments, published in 1783. This proclamation was the closest thing that Russia had to a law code for the next 50 years (Hosking 100). It denounced capital punishment and torture, it argued for crime prevention and, in general, was abreast of advanced Western thought for criminology (Riasanovsky 259). Catherine decided that, before positing common interests, which did not exist, she should put more backbone into fragmented Russia by creating institutions which would enable citizens to work together at least within their own estates and orders; Catherine adopted the task of laying the foundation for a civilized Russian society. Catherines first contribution toward forming an enlightened nation was to create a system of hospitals. Although medical science had yet to reach a respected position, Russia lacked, as did many other countries, a method of administering the small amounts of medical knowledge it did possess. In attempts to alleviate this, Catherine funded the Town Hospital at St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg House for Lunatics, and the Foundling Hospital; as well, she popularized vaccinations. The Empress donated money to fund the Town Hospital at St. Petersburg, where poor were admitted without payment (Kochan 26). Upon admittance, they were shaved, bathed, and put in tidy dress. The hospital consisted of 300 well spread beds with curtains and a professor of electricity who was permanently employed to relieve diseases. Likewise, the St. Petersburg House for Lunatics was constructed, which became renowned for its gentle treatment. Essay Question About Symbolism In The Scarlet LetterCatherine had realized long before, during the Legislative Commission, that in order to abolish serfdom Russia would have to be completely re-instituted: priests must become as literate as foreign priests and the nobles as sharp-witted as the English, the peasants must know their ABC, become honest and obey the wrath of God and the rabble must have a better understanding of foreign crafts and become more intelligent (Dukes 31). The Empress realized that it was first necessary to educate the higher classes and to then let the knowledge seep down until it reached the peasantry. Regardless, Pugachevs Rebellion was a shock to Catherines liberal instincts and it marked the most critical moment of her reign: a turning point in which she replaced her radical internal reforms with an aggressive foreign policy. Shaping foreign policy was one of the principal tasks of the Russian Czar and through it, Catherine accomplished her greatest glory for Russia. Russia had three fundamental problems in foreign relations: the Swedish, the Turkish, and the Polish (Riasanovsky 264). Peter the Great solved the first and Catherine the Great the final two. In their struggle against Turkey, the Russians aimed to reach the Black Sea, to obtain their natural southern border, and to reclaim the fertile lands lost to the Asiatic in the days of the Kievan state. In The First Turkish War, 1768-74, impressive victories over Turkey were won by Count Peter Rumiantsev on land, and Alexis Orlov on sea. By the summer of 1774, Turkey was ready to make peace. The Treaty of Kuchuk Kainarji awarded Russia the strategic points of Kinburn, Yenikale and Kerch in and near the Crimea as well as part of the Black Sea coast (Kochan 5). In addition, Russia acquired the right to build and Orthodox Church in Constantinople. The First Turkish War marked the first decisive defeat of Turkey by Russia and, although the Treaty of Kuchuk Kainarji reflected the Russian victory, Catherines ambitions were yet to be fulfilled. The Second Turkish War began in 1787 when Turkey declared war on Russia. Catherines troops, led by General Alexander Suvorov, scored a series of brilliant victories over Turkish forces, notably in 1790 when Suvorov stormed and won the supposedly impregnable fortress of Ismail. By the Treaty of Jassy in 1792, Russia gained the fortress of Ochakov and the Black Sea shore up to the Dniester River, and Turkey recognized her annexation of Crimea. The conquest of this region freed Russia from many of the chronic disadvantages it had suffered for centuries while hemmed in among the forests and on the poor soils of the north (Hosking 107). Catherine had won for Russia her natural boundaries in the south, and essentially solved the Turkish problem. Catherine IIs Polish policy turned out to be as impressive as her relations with Turkey. It is often said that Poland was ready for partitioning in the second half of the eighteenth century: elected kings were unable to control their subjects and the only other form of authority, the sejm, or diet, failed almost entirely to function (Riasanovsky 267). Catherine felt that Poland was constantly overrun with disorder and violence; she always looked with particular sympathy upon the oppression to which the lands and towns adjacent to the Russian empire, which were formerly her property had been subjected to (Oblensky and Stone 214). The conflicting interests of numerous religions and an avaricious gentry accentuated the weaknesses of the Polish government. For these reasons, Catherine felt it necessary that Russia take under her power all the lands, towns, and regions enclosed within Poland. By the first partition of Poland in 1772, Russia obtained White Russian and Latvian Lithuania to the Dvina and the Dnieper rivers with some 13 million inhabitants; by the second partition in 1793, Russia took more of Lithuania and most of the western Ukraine with a total of 3 million inhabitants; by the third partition in 1795, Russia acquired the remainder of Lithuania and the Ukraine, with 12 million inhabitants, as well as the Duchy of Courland, where Russian influence had predominated from the time of Empress Anne (Riasanovsky 270). The partitioning of Poland brought tragedy to the Poles, but glory to the Russians. Poland had always been regarded as a hindrance if not a danger to the growth of the Russian state (Kochan 5). Catherine had eliminated an old enemy, rival, and a source of conflicts, while at the same time adding to her own lands, resources and populations. After the division of Poland, Russia, Prussia and Austria cooperated closely on the international scene, holding Eastern Europe completely under their control. Catherine is criticized on the aggressive nature in which she, Austria, and Prussia seized the Polish lands. However, Russias case differs greatly from those of Prussia and Austria: in the three partitions, Russia took old Russian lands, once part of the Kievan state, populated principally by Orthodox Ukrainians and White Russians (Hosking 60), whereas the two German powers grabbed ethnically and historically Polish territory. The Russians, therefore, came as liberatorsas Catherine had statedthe Prussians and Austrians as oppressors. Catherines foreign policy was not limited to the relations with Turkey and Poland. Other important developments included the Russian role in the League of Armed Neutrality, a war against Sweden, and the Empresss reaction to the French Revolution. To protect the commerce of non-combatant states against arbitrary actions of the British, Catherine proposed a doctrine of armed neutrality at sea in 1780. It insisted that neutral ships could pass freely from port to port and along the coast to combatants, that enemy goods in neutral ships, except contraband, were not subject to seizure, and that to be legal a blockade had to be enforced, rather than merely proclaimed (Riasanovsky 271). Several other European countries supported her proposals which eventually became part of international maritime law. In 1788, Sweden attacked Russia while the Russian armies were at war with Turkey. Repeatedly, the Swedes threatened St. Petersburg, however, with no success, as the Treaty of Werala in 1790 confirmed the pre-war boundary. Catherine triumphed in defending her adopted country. The French Revolution made a strong impression on Catherine: the heroes she embraced in her youth became the objects of criticism in her maturity. I cannot believe in the superior talents of the cobblers and shoemakers for government and legislation, she wrote in 1789, they know ten times more and do ten times more harm than my employes who do not indulge in such fine phrases (Gooch 99). Catherine, however, lived in Russiaa backward country with no middle class, where education and science were rejected in favour of Muscovite superstition and religionand not Francea developing nation with a powerfully educated middle class. Although Catherine had made the first step in progressivism, by introducing a system of government, laws, hospitals, and schools, the Russian commoner remained unaffected. In France, the peasantry knew their desires; in Russia, they only knew their duties. Consequently, the people of Russia were unable to govern themselves and remained solely dependent on the strength of an enlightened despot; no one need blame Catherine for accepting the prevailing ideology of her time (Gooch 107). Although Catherine IIs list of achievements is of great bulk, merely recording them is not enough to define her as great. Rather, the reforms imposed by Catherine must be evaluated upon the background of ancient Muscovite beliefs. Catherine adopted a backward and ignorant society, installed provincial governments, codified the laws, created a school board, established hospitals, expanded the borders, and overall, took the first step in progressiveness. Influenced by the thinkers of her time, and observant of her countrys flaws, Catherine was able to combine the new ideas of the eighteenth century with the realities of traditional Muscovite society. The Empress understood that, in order to bring Russia abreast with western society, she must first build a backbone of government institutions from which knowledge could percolate down through all ranks of society. Her greatness comes, not only through her internal and foreign accomplishments, but also through her appreciation of Russian antiquity, and her ability to apply the new enlightened ideas to its eccentric culture. She won for Russia a place among the Great Powers which since her day, has never been lost.