Essay on Industrialization and Utilitarianism in Dickens...

Industrialization and Utilitarianism in Dickens Hard Times Charles Dickens uses his fictitious town in Hard Times to represent the industrialization of England at that time or close to it. Most of this representation, however, isnt accurately described compared the way things really were during industrialization. It is important to remember throughout this paper that not only is Hard Times a work of fiction, it was meant to be a satire, a parody of ideas and ways of thinking at the time. In most respects, it wasnt meant to accurately describe the way things were. Dickens covers up his parody with a realistic and extremely accurate depiction of the typical industrial town. Coketown is described to be the†¦show more content†¦On November 6, 1838, Charles Dickens made his first visit to Manchester.... [H]is first surviving remarks on the experience occur in a letter written to E. M. Fitzgerald at the end of December. So far as seeing goes, he stoutly affirmed, I have seen enough for my purpose, and what I have seen has disgusted and astonished me beyond all measure. I mean to strike the heaviest blow in my power for these unfortunate creatures.... The blow was a long time in getting delivered...; it came finally in the publication of Hard Times (Marcus 30). In a way, Dickens took it upon himself to do much as Sinclair did with The Jungle; he wrote the book to expose the evils that existed and were going on in order to force people to realize them and get something done about it. For the factories themselves, Dickens doesnt give much of a description of the inside. In fact, the only time the reader is taken inside of one to see the character Stephen Blackpool at work just as hes leaving. A clattering of clogs upon the pavement, a rapid ringing of bells, and al the melancholy mad elephants, polished and oiled up for the days monotony, were at their heavy exercise again.... A special contrast, as every man was in the forest of looms where Stephen worked, to the crashing, smashing, tearing piece of mechanism at which he laboured.... The workShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Industrialization On English Towns Essay1730 Words   |  7 PagesHard Times symbolizes the negative effects of industrialization on English towns (Coketown in the story) including education. Charles Dickens was born in 1812, and was a contemporary of the Industrial Revolution. Industries were growing by leaps and bounds; bringing with it pollution, social imbalance and individual confu sion. Dickens was rather poor and had no proper education. At the age of 12 he worked in Warren’s Blacking Factory attaching labels to bottles. He labored hard to educate himselfRead MoreCharles Dickens Hard Times1494 Words   |  6 Pages May 1, 2015 Mr. Johnson Literature Dickens Calls for Desperate Measures in Hard Times â€Å"I want to change the world.† How many times is that line heard from small children, aspiring to be someone who achieves their maximum potential? If a child is asked how they might go about doing so they might respond with an answer that involves a superhero or princess who helps people for the greater good. As one grows and adapts to their surrounding society, the art of seeing the big picture includingRead MoreEssay on Themes, Symbolism, and Atmosphere in Dickens Hard Times1376 Words   |  6 Pages When Charles Dickens was writing his commentary on a fast industrializing world, the thought that Hard Times would still be relevant over 150 years later is assumed to be far from the forefront of his mind. And yet at present, 158 years after its first publication, Charles Dickens’ tale of industrialization and its implications still holds a prominent place in today’s society. The following is one interpretation of Dickens’ story of an industrializ ed dystopia, and discussed are its ever-relevantRead MoreGeorge Dickens s Hard Times1183 Words   |  5 PagesThe Victorian Era marks the rise of Industrialism within Great Britain, and with it, philosophies to match new ethics. Specifically, Utilitarianism became a prominent concept. The idea, born from the minds of Jeremy Bentham and James Mill, considers actions morally correct if they perform the greatest good for the greatest number. Charles Dickens, a famous author of the era, criticized the philosophy for its dehumanizing qualities. Bentham and Mills s philosophy allowed for consequentialism, whereRead MoreUtalitarian Principle in Charles Dickens Hard Times3069 Words   |  13 PagesINTRODUCTION Utilitarianism is the assumption that human beings act in a way that highlights their own self interest. It is based on factuality and leaves little room for imagination. Utilitarianism dominated as the form of government in Englands Victorian age of eighteenth century. Utilitarianism, as rightly claimed by Dickens, robbed the people of their individuality and joy; deprived the children of their special period of their lives, Childhood and deprived women of their inherent right ofRead MoreWhile Every Culture, Race, Community, And Family Have Their1008 Words   |  5 Pagesevery culture, race, community, and family have their own definition of normalcy, there are undisputable aspects that every being needs to pursue a successful lifestyle. With modernizing industrialization, came a more noticeable discrepancy on what these aspects should be. In Charles Dickens’s 1854 novel, Hard Times, he explores these varying viewpoints while quite obviously taking a stand for one perspectiv e. Throughout the novel, one can clearly see that there are two different models for raisingRead MoreCoketown1972 Words   |  8 PagesHARD TIMES ASSIGNMENT DISCUSS: Dickens’ Coketown is not a city, rather a stage for the workings out of Gradgrind’s philosophy. Considering the above sentence examine the construction of the city in Hard Times. Coketown is quite literally the ‘town of coke’, the raw material used to convert iron to steel and indirectly the foundation of the ‘steel/industrial revolution’. It is critical to analyze the name of the city for Dickens’ Hard Times is a satirical caricature on the condition of EnglandRead MoreHow Does Dickens Present the Conflict of Fact and Fancy in Hard Times. - Grade B1770 Words   |  8 PagesAnalyse Dickens presentation of the conflict between fact and fancy in ‘Hard Times’ The novel Hard Times by Charles Dickens epitomises the social, political and economic values of Victorian England. Dickens attacks the conditions and exploitation of the workers by the factory owners, the social class divisions that favour dishonesty over honesty depending on the hierarchy of class status. He finds the utilitarian (fact) school of thought where facts and statistic’s are emphasised at the expenseRead More Science in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Hard Times by Charles Dickens3626 Words   |  15 PagesThe 19th century was a time of massive change socially, politically and scientifically. This time saw the rise of Imperialism and of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, seeing massive changes in the way industry was run. Also during this time the literary movements of Romanticism and Victorianism emerged. Romanticism dealt with the issues of reality versus illusion, childhood and man versus nature. The first book I will examine in this essay, Mary Sh elley’s Frankenstein, comes from this literaryRead MoreScience and Progress in Frankenstein and Hard Times3785 Words   |  16 PagesKWB 724: 19th CENTURY LITERATURE MAJOR ESSAY SCIENCE AND PROGRESS IN FRANKENSTEIN ANDHARD TIMES The 19th century was a time of massive change socially, politically and scientifically. This time saw the rise of Imperialism and of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, seeing massive changes in the way industry was run. Also during this time the literary movements of Romanticism and Victorianism emerged. Romanticism dealt with the issues of reality versus illusion, childhood and man versus nature.

The Roots of Happiness - 1560 Words

Early Modern Europe experienced several tragedies in which the citizens sensed that there must be a better way to live where happiness was more familiar. Alterations for what truly defines absolute happiness in a society during these times of catastrophe were expressed through utopian literature. Thomas More’s Utopia, Tomasso Campanella’s City of the Sun, and Caron De Beaumarchais’ The Marriage of Figaro together attempt to answer what truly creates a happy civilization during different periods of crisis within Europe. Each of these utopian literature’s suggest a different origin that happiness derives from, soundly signifying that change in Europe would be beneficial. The revolutionary ideas of change in Europe proposed by Utopia, City of†¦show more content†¦Another interesting approach that Utopia takes to encourage happiness is to have no punishment by death to those who steal. The belief was that without the punishment of death and instead fo rcing the accused to manual labor, in return, there would be no thieves. Showing Utopias Erasmian influence, this idea was derived directly from the Romans who also used manual labor for punishment of thievery. Clearly then, this utopia was pushing for happiness that would not be focused on materialistic goods. Instead, these utopians derived their happiness from moral pleasure, or any enjoyment that was not destructive to the body or morals of themselves or others. For example, the people of Utopia obtained gratification from philosophical debate between others. Happiness was very important to this society for the reason that they believed that God had created man to be happy and enjoy life. Furthermore, God had planted appetites in man for good and healthy things in order to promote a happy life. Thus, citizens were also able to obtain moral pleasure from the natural act of eating. However during this time Europeans were predominantly Catholic, believing in original sin and the id ea that suffering was necessary for redemption of the afterlife. But, Thomas More made this radical statement contradictory for the reason that happiness was so acute in EuropeShow MoreRelatedThe Roots to Happiness907 Words   |  4 Pages The Roots to Happiness Whether you are down to your last dime, bumming around in your worn down denim, or parading around town in your Bugatti Veyron; your attitude towards life is what you make it to be. With an optimistic outlook, you can obtain happiness in any given situation that life deals you. Do you know how to be happy? Or are you patiently waiting for happiness to find you? Looking for said happiness won’t necessarily work easily as one might think, but your thoughts and actions willRead MoreThe Root Of Happiness Is A Emotional State Of Well Being Defined By Positive Emotions1063 Words   |  5 Pageswonder what happiness is. Also, they question what they must do to attain it. There are many different books discussing ways how individuals can find happiness. Gladness is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive emotions. The root of happiness can result in many different things. One, the root of happiness can result in better health, better thinking ability, and the de light in doing what is right. Another, is the result of contentment with the way of life can root from tryingRead MoreIs Moral Behavoir Necessary for Happiness? Essay757 Words   |  4 Pageswill be discussing the subject of moral behaviour and if it is necessary for happiness. The view that this paper will reflect and focus on is that â€Å"moral† behaviour is not absolutely necessary to be happy. To fully comprehend the topic in question we must look at the definitions of morality and happiness. Moral behaviour is subjective in the sense that what may seem right to one person may not seem right to another. Happiness is also entirely subjective due to the fact that what can make one or someRead MoreMoney Can t Buy Everything Essay1134 Words   |  5 PagesDoes it truly bring us happiness? How much do I want or need the comforts of material objects in my life? There is a famous song from Chris Janson that does a pretty good job of summing it up. Chris says Money can t buy h appiness, but it can buy me a boat. I would agree with this! I like to believe that I am a family man. Families are an essence of life. I feel the root of all happiness begins within the wall of your own home. But I do believe money isn’t the root to happiness but after what ChrisRead More Plato and Augustine’s Conceptions of Happiness Essay1319 Words   |  6 Pagesconceptions of what one must acquire to live a truly happy life. While the conventional view of happiness normally pertains to wealth, financial stability, and material possessions, Plato and Augustine suggest that true happiness is rooted in something independent of objects or people. Though dissimilar in their notions of that actual root, each respective philosophy views the attaining of that happiness as a path, a direction. Plato’s philosophy revolves around the attainment of eternal knowledgeRead MoreHow College Student s Level Of Wellbeing And Happiness1340 Words   |  6 PagesWhy is it t hat some individuals are so high above the curve in terms happiness and optimism, even in the face of challenges and misfortunes? Whatever it is, there are individuals in psychology who wish to study and understand the science of happiness. These individuals specialize in the new field of psychology, positive psychology. Such researchers wish to gain insight on gaining happiness and building a resiliency to negative emotions. With an increasing emphasis on measuring college success, primarilyRead MoreSelfish Essay946 Words   |  4 Pagesthough, where you aren’t doing enough for yourself? While it is most certainly good to do someone for someone else, how much should you do for you? It should be obvious that ensuring your own well being and happiness is priority number one. Many people who throw themselves out for the happiness of others are depressed and aren’t happy with their own situation, yet they still continue to be a doormat. While it isn’t good to make yourself out as someone who will do anything to help anyone, being selfishRead MoreThe Death Of Siddhartha Gautama1017 Words   |  5 PagesWhen an average person thinks of Siddhartha Gautama, they often link the religious figure with someone who achieved happiness through various forms of mediation. These generalizations are often fueled by artistic illustrations of the Buddha, which, almost universally, depict him sitting in the Lotus Position. While the religion of Buddhism has deep roots in various forms of meditation, there is not a cut and dry method for an individual to obtain the highest of Buddhist goals, freedom from sufferingRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Ones Who Walked Away From Omelas1105 Words   |  5 Pages Deep Roots In the story â€Å"The ones who walked away from Omelas† by Ursula K, Le Guin, Le Guin provides a notion that the cycle of inequality with in a society is intergenerational. At young ages, the children in the town are conditioned to accept inequalities within their society. Although the children disagreed with the treatment of the child locked in the basement, they later assimilated with these harsh realities. Pathing theRead MoreConsumerism Of The United States1411 Words   |  6 Pagescoloration to consumerism that finds it roots within the American society, the generation of today and its values. More money, more problems? It might just be a fact. Recent statistics reveal that â€Å"Americans today, compared to 55 years ago, own twice as many cars and eat out twice as much per person, but we don t seem to be any happier because of it†(Carolyn Gregoire). Big is best, is the motto of the American culture, a culture that has spread its root to every corner of the globe, especially

Portfolio Management Information Systems †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Portfolio Management Information Systems? Answer: Introduction This essay depicts the importance of proper tool management in a business organization that is necessary to implement a project in a business organization. By using proper tools and theories the organizations will be able to deliver the expected outcomes. Based on the type of the business processes different business organizations use various business managerial tools. The target of the essay is to elaborate and define the system thinking for making classification of different tools and techniques those are strictly relevant to system thinking. The general system management including organizational structure, form and culture of the business organization and business values are elaborated in this report. In addition to this, engineering risks, risk management approaches and portfolio alignment is also elaborate in this report. The maturity of a business organization is dependent on its culture and management structure. Apart from this, a process cycle of a portfolio management cycle is also elaborated in this report. Critical analysis General systems management In order to gain measurable revenue structure from the competitive market, many business organizations use the general system management approach. This approach is little different from the traditional system management. In order to organize the small businesses based on the traditional hierarchical structures general system theory is required to be used by the business organizations (Aldrich and Yang 2014). The general management structure follows top down approach where the top management is the boss who possesses the leading authority and the managers and the managers and other lower level employees are bound to follow the instruction of the higher authority. On the other hand, the general system theory also offers different beneficial ways to the owners for organizing the company. Based upon this theory from the early age of 1934, the business organizations are constructing (Verzuh 2015). The components of the business model include matrix of the subsystem, goals, project orienta tion, transformation and permanence. The matrix of the subsystems: Instead of the top down approach, both the bottom up approaches and vertical system approaches can be formed with the help of this theory. In the newly created structures every individual department will have an owner. Again interrelationships between the departments can be also be demonstrated in this process (Turner 2014). The new approach implies that, each of the different departments such as the sales, marketing, manufacturing and financial can act as the leading department in the business organization. However each of the department can again exist under the traditional hierarchy. It means that if any enterprise, use the general system theory, then every individual department will act their as a entity and the entities can merge up with other organizations whenever required. Goals: Under the general system theory, multiple goals can be implemented and even resolved by the business organizations. Each individual department of the enterprises develops their business goals and collectively serves the desired outcome for the consumers of the business organization (Pemsel and Wiewiora . 2013). However, in order to serve the desired outcomes the departments can make collaboration with other departments. Project orientation: By creating different projects all the individually operating departments could act effectively. After considering the information and resources it has been found that, the projects are the focal points for the business organizations. The project manager of the business organization is responsible to lead the business project by collecting input from different resources. Transformation: The general system theory gives required changes to the business organization for gaining effective system growth and feedback from the consumers. Based on the requirement of the consumers, proper change management is needed to be applied in the organizational processes (Schwalbe 2015). It will help the organizations, to serve effective and efficient power to make the desired changes in the business organizations. If the structure is not maintaining the hierarchical approaches then, the business process changes based upon the feedback generated by the rest of the consumers. Permanence: In order to gain effective business success, system permanence is required. Organizational structures, forms and culture The organizational structure and culture both are necessary to be maintained by the management authority of an enterprise to gain measurable success and revenues from the competitive marketplace. The organizational hierarchy stars from the senior management authority and after the middle management and junior management the group of staffs fall. The aim of the business organization is to meet the requirement of the consumers by providing either services or products. Based upon the business types the organizational structure takes different forms (Kerzner 2013). The structures are influences by different factors such as purpose, size and task complexity, external environment its culture and employee performance. The quality of products, organizational location and services helps the management authority to select the most suitable organizational structure. The selected organizational structure helps to govern the business organization towards success and even it also helps to show the most effective direction to the business organization. Moreover, the operations of the business organizations are also dependent upon the organizational culture and structure. It also helps to reduce the rate of internal conflicts and negative external affects. However, for large organizations the tall organizational structures are effective whereas; for the small organizations short organizational structures are effective (Lock 2014). Another structure is matrix structure which is used in project based organization. In this structure, a team is formed which is made up of HR, specialists and marketing management authority. Engineering risk, risk management Risk management is referred to as one of the most important factors that are strictly required to be considered for the organizational growth and revenue. It has been considered that, in the project initiation phase, the project manager should identify the potential risks that might affect the overall structure of the project and the organization also (Heagney 2016). In addition to this, the experts who are working for the projects are also focused on the risk management approaches. It has been found that, the function named as risk is divided into two different components such as probability and consequences. The engineering risk management approach includes five different components such as planning or the risks, identification of the risks, analysis of the risks, development of the risk management strategies and monitoring on the risk management process. Proper risk management approach is proactive rather reactive. It helps to reduce the rate of adverse event occurring. Planning for risk: In this phase, the project engineer looks after all the possible risks, that, might affect the entire enterprise in the way success. The risk management plan includes different methods those are used for the execution of the project risk plan. As a part of a larger project management plan, this phase must be included. In order to meet the requirements of the business plan the project engineers are required to plan for the perfect risk management by providing the necessary information to the project team members. Identification of risks: In this phase the project engineer should identify all the risks those might affect the business continuity. In most of the cases, the risks are associated to cost, schedule, technology, production, feasibility, support and management (Mir and Pinnington 2014). If the project financial manager fails to make the appropriate feasibility for the project then economical risk will occur than will affect the project entirely. Analysis: After identifying the risks the PM analyzes all the risks and then ranks them based upon their quality. It has been identified that these risks analysis is a systematic process, which is used to estimate the risk levels for the identified and approved risks (Lock 2014). Mainly, it includes the risk matrix creation that could quantify the probability and the consequences of the determined engineering project risks. It helps to make the conversion of the overall risks. Development of risk avoidance strategies: Based on the types of the risk the PM should develop different risk management strategies. These strategies help the business organization to deal with the risks efficiently. The four basic categories those could be placed into the risk management strategies are as follows: Acceptance: In this approach the PM do not wishes to make any further risk mitigation rather with the existing risk they wills to continue their business. Avoidance: The resources those are the reason behind the risk occurrence can be eliminated from the project by the PM to avoid the risks. Control: Risk control is referred to as risk mitigation. In this approach the risk are mitigated with relevant strategies (Elston, Chen and Weidinger 2016). Even any such risk is identified that could not be mitigated can be controlled to stop its further progress. Transfer: In this process in order to combat risk the PM transfers the risk to other party. Monitoring and control: In this process, the risks are required to be controlled properly monitoring the risk mitigation strategies (Choi and Majumdar 2014). The components of risk control include earned value, program metrics and technical performance measurements. Portfolio alignment Project portfolio alignment is referred to as one of the most rapidly increasing and popular management practice, which is adapted by some of the business organizations well used also. Most of the cases alignment is found to be as a missing component. The steps that are required to be maintained by the PM in project alignment include road mapping (Cedrola, Battaglia and Quaranta 2016). In this approach, the strategic roadmap rather user interface is defined and communicated. In order to reduce the work burden and to meet the requirement of the consumers the work load are divided among the project team members accordingly. Business value Business value is referred to as a tool that is strictly required for developing the business culture and structure as well. Every successful business organization has appropriate business values. In business valuation standard business values are used (Decker et al. 2014). It establishes standard measures of value those are used for determining the business worth. The business values might be determined by the fair market values, investment values and intrinsic values. The agile approach has changed the conversation regarding measuring project success (Dalborg, von Friedrichs and Wincent 2015). In order to calculate the project success the factors that are generally considered include are referred to as the project constraints such as time, cost and scope. Based upon the changing requirement of the consumers and generated feedback, the organization should develop their financial structure and stakeholders value. Portfolio management process cycle The project portfolio life cycle steps include: identification of the business need, evaluation of the business case, defining the project, identification of the vendors for developing the project, evaluation and selection of the vendors and contract management (De Clercq et al. 2013). After the contract management timesheet is required to be developed and based on that the asset management, performance measurement and risk optimization are done by the project managers. Organizational maturity In order to understand the maturity of an organization properly the components that are needed to be considered include people, process, data and technology. The people are responsible to influence the service delivery (Elston, Chen and Weidinger 2016). In order to measure the accuracy reliability and availability operational data are needed. On the other hand, for proper decision making adaptation of proper processes are also required. Application of all these components will lead an organization towards maturity. Conclusion From the overall discussion it can be concluded that, the main aim of a business organization is to lead the business towards measurable success by meeting the requirement of the consumers. In order to measure the business values different tools are required to be used. The tools those are widely used in the organizations to meet the need of the customers are also elaborated in this essay. Engineering project management process includes proper methodologies. The applications of the methodologies are also based upon the requirement of the consumers. The general system management, role of organizational structure and culture and importance of portfolio alignment re also elaborated in this report. In addition to this, the essay also depicted the business values, organizational maturity, and role of engineering risk management plan and the responsibility of a project manager in risk management. Apart from this, the portfolio management process cycle is also elaborated in this essay. References Aldrich, H. E., and Yang, T. 2014. How do entrepreneurs know what to do? Learning and organizing in new ventures.Journal of Evolutionary Economics,24(1), 59-82. Beringer, C., Jonas, D., and Kock, A.2013. Behavior of internal stakeholders in project portfolio management and its impact on success.International Journal of Project Management,31(6), 830-846. Cedrola, E., Battaglia, L., and Quaranta, A. G. 2016. 2. International entrepreneurship and performance: what are the important factors in markets with high cultural distance?.The Changing Global Economy and its Impact on International Entrepreneurship, 39. Choi, N., and Majumdar, S. 2014. Social entrepreneurship as an essentially contested concept: Opening a new avenue for systematic future research.Journal of Business Venturing,29(3), 363-376. Dalborg, C., von Friedrichs, Y., and Wincent, J. 2015. Risk perception matters: why womens passion may not lead to a business start-up.International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship,7(1), 87-104. De Clercq, D., Lim, D. S., and Oh, C. H. 2013. Individual?level resources and new business activity: The contingent role of institutional context.Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice,37(2), 303-330. Decker, R., Haltiwanger, J., Jarmin, R., and Miranda, J. 2014. The role of entrepreneurship in US job creation and economic dynamism.The Journal of Economic Perspectives,28(3), 3-24. Elston, J. A., Chen, S., and Weidinger, A. 2016. The role of informal capital on new venture formation and growth in China.Small Business Economics,46(1), 79-91. Heagney, J. 2016 Fundamentals of project management. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Kerzner, H. 2013.Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley and Sons. Lock, M. D. 2014.The essentials of project management. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Mir, F. A., and Pinnington, A. H. 2014. Exploring the value of project management: linking project management performance and project success.International Journal of Project Management,32(2), 202-217. Pemsel, S., and Wiewiora, A. 2013. Project management office a knowledge broker in project-based organisations.International Journal of Project Management,31(1), 31-42. Schwalbe, K. 2015.Information technology project management. Cengage Learning. Turner, J. R. 2014.The handbook of project-based management(Vol. 92). New York, NY: McGraw-hill. Verzuh, E. 2015.The fast forward MBA in project management. John Wiley and Sons.

The Wild West Essays - American Folklore, American Outlaws, Cowboys

The Wild West THE OUTLAWS Born Robert Leroy Parker in Beaver, Utah, on Apr. 13, 1866, Cassidy was the oldest of 13 children and had no formal education. Cassidy became a cowboy while still in his teens when he met Mike Cassidy, adopting Cassidy's name after he joined him in rustling cattle in Utah and Colorado. Robert Clay Allison worked on his parents' farm near Waynesboro, Tenn., until he was twenty-one. Immediately upon the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted in the Confederate Army and went off willingly to fight for the South. He had a clubfoot that did not seem to hamper his ability to perform active duty. He saw action in several battles but was sent home in March 1862 to recuperate from wounds that seemed more mental than physical, a Confederate doctor stating that Allison was suffering from a condition that was partly epileptic and partly maniacal. He had reportedly threatened to shoot his superiors following one battle because they refused to pursue and execute retreating Union troops. One of the most unusual stagecoach robbers in American history was an old man known in the annals of the West as Black Bart. He used many aliases, including Charles E. Bolton and Charles E. Boles, the latter, most probably his true name. Bart, in addition to being an expert lone bandit who robbed more than two dozen stages in California in 1877-78, he was a jokester whose laughing nature endeared him even to his victims. Billy the Kid was reportedly born in New York City on Nov. 23, 1859, the son of William and Kathleen (or Catherine) McCarty Bonney, and named William H. Bonney. Another story has it that he was born on Sept. 17, 1859, as Patrick Henry McCarty to Catherine and Patrick McCarty. And still another account has it that he was born in Indiana to Joseph McCarty of Cass County. The first report seems to be the most reliable, especially since the Kid used the name of William H. Bonney, signing his letters as such. Yet a reliable account has Mrs. Bonney or McCarty living in Indianapolis, Ind., with William Antrim and moving west with him and her two sons, Henry and Joseph in 1870, settling first in Wichita, Kan., where Mrs. Bonney ran a laundry and dabbled in small real estate holdings. One report has it that the family lived for a while in the newly establish town of Coffeyville, Kan., and it was here that Billy first got into trouble, arrested for pilfering butter and other items from a local store. John Wesley Hardin was born May 26, 1853, in Bonham, Texas. He had two brothers, Joe was the oldest, three years older then John and several younger sisters. His father sometimes taught school and practiced law in addition to preaching. Hardin's forefathers had illustrious positions in the history of Texas. One had fought at San Jacinto and another had signed the Texas Declaration of Independence in the fight against Santa Ana. Hardin's grandfather served with distinction in the Congress of the Texas Republic. Hardin County, Texas, was named after another of Hardin's relatives, Judge William B. Hardin. Somehow, Hardin's father believed that his son would follow in his footsteps and named him after the esteemed Methodist leader, John Wesley. Joaquin Murieta was born in 1830, in the Mexican province of Sonora. In 1850, Murieta along with his bride, Rosita Feliz , he moved to Northern California. The Murietas were lured by the mine fields. The white miners didn't like the thought of the sharing the gold fields with Mexicans, so they assaulted the couple. Murieta was beaten and his wife was raped. They left Stanislaus County and moved to Calaveras County, where they were joined by Joaquin's half-brother. Joaquin borrowed his half-brother's horse not knowing it had been stolen from a member of the community. The horse's owner accused Murieta of the theft. Joaquin told the owner he had borrowed the horse, and his half-brother could explain. A mob formed and wouldn't listen to the explanation. They hung the half-brother, and Joaquin was horse whipped. Murieta vowed to get revenge. Isom Printice Olive was born February 7, 1840 in Mississippi, the son of James and Julia Brashear