Reflective Account Examples Childcare

Reflective Account Examples Childcare Reflective account- Conferencing In taking part of the conferencing it has improved my academic skills and has broadened my knowledge and understanding of different aspects of life. When we first got given the task and were told to start posting comments and forming discussions I didnt see a big discussion going on within my group but once people were getting the hang of it, then more discussions were made. At first I found it very challenging and I was thinking that people in my group will judge me for what I say and go against everything that I posted. I started to build up my confidence in posting my first comment under social class where I talked about the different social classes that me and my family lived amongst. Also making reference back to some reading and research that I made. Looking back at my childhood I was aware of all the different stages of social class from a very young age and this does not only apply to what my family was going though but others around us as well. This is because there were times where I get everything I desired from my father and times were I couldnt have anything. And as a child this had a big effective on me as it would for other children in not getting what they want. I still think that social class is affecting me and my family in having a lot of financial crisis to overcome. Therefore this makes me became less sociable, in going out with my friends and started to keep my self to my self. Both of my parents do not work for medical reasons and are on income support therefore at times I feel like I am not getting everything that others are but having traveled aboard and seeing how people were living in absolute poverty it makes me come back and realise how thankful I should be as people are not getting half of what am getting. According to Julian Glover she states that â€Å"the poorest people in society are most aware of its impact; with 55% of them saying class, not ability, greatly affects the way they are seen.† This is a clear statement that in todays society people are judging each other according to their social class/ wealth and not according to a person as an individual. Being in a low social class can have a great impact within the family. By this I mean the parents can have bad tempers most of the times and can take this out on their children and abuse them, also can cause the parents to have suffer depression. What we see is the lower class areas have been most affected by drugs and crime and it is those aspects that seem to be given more focus than education also this has an impact on the family unit. The family is pivotal in the upbringing of children and if the family unit is unstable then that will no doubt have a domino effect on the children and their future. Also the children may suffer from this be not getting fed healthy, in order for them to have a strong immune system so they dont become ill and they continue to grow. In my childhood in Saudi Arabia I was aware of different ethnicities according to different races and cultures but not religions. This is because we had a maid in our house to help my mother with the house work and to look after me, my sister and my brother. She was from Malaysia but has the same religion as us which is Islam. But once I came into the Untied Kingdom I was more aware of different cultures, races and beliefs and especially in the city of Sheffield where it is a multicultural society and a large number of Muslims, Christians, Hindus and many other beliefs. When I started attending my first primary school I found children from all different ethnic minorities. This was something different to what I was used to seeing in Saudi Arabia as everyone there were from the same race and had the same culture and belief. Once I got into secondary school I started having lessons on religious education in these lessons we covered all different cultures and beliefs. I found it really interesting to learn about other cultures then my own such as Indian, Chinese, Catholic and many more. We were also being able to compare the similarities and differences in marriage ceremonies etc within the different cultures. I decided to take it as a chosen subject in my GCSEs. This then made me become more aware of ethnicity. During my childhood I never wearied a head scarf as it is apart of the Islamic religion that a woman should wear it to cover to from any strange men. I wasnt forced my parents to wear it but in secondary school I had a lot of friends that did wear the head scarf. Is was in year 10 when my friends persuaded me to wear the scarf and I found it as a big step to take but I agreed at the end and started wearing it and never took it off. I felt like I had to overcome a lot of racism because I had chosen to wear the scarf. I was getting racist comments from the boys in my school who were black and used to talk to me before and didnt like the fact that I covered my hair. Even though my secondary school had 75% of children who were Muslims from different ethnic minorities. Not all the racist comments that I was getting from school but I was getting them from the public as well for example bus drivers just drive past me as am standing in the bus stop with my hand out and the bus is not even fu ll. At first I used to let these things get to me but I realised that some people are not aware of other religions and cultures so therefore they decided to be racist because they went everyone to follow their beliefs. I felt that it was vital that children should be introduced to different ethnic minorities; they should be taught that every religion and belief should be respected. As I was growing up I was aware of different genders within my family. I have a brother that is seven years older than me and a sister that is three years older than me. When we were young in Saudi Arabia we all shared one big room. I used to see what different roles we got by our parents. For example my brother would be asked to go to the shop and get things that are missing for the house and my sister and I were just ask to tidy our rooms up and little jobs as such. As part of the Islamic religion a womens role in life is to care for her family and mens must take on the role of supporter, protector, provider, custodian and servant to the family. This does not mean that a woman should be forced to clean, cook and stay at home no thats part of their care for their family put a man should no aspect a woman to be doing that all the time. If a woman shows to carry on with her education to gain more knowledge then there is nothing that can stop her from doing so. But this as well goes ba ck to the time where woman were seen to be as house wifes and cant even vote etc. I have come across in many placements that I have worked in children having a firm understanding of gender for example in the games in which girls can play but boys cant and the opposite. This now where woman and man seem to be equal and settings do tend to follow the anti- discrimination and anti- bias set policies and proceeds. When I was in Saudi Arabia the schools dont allow to have mixed genders. Therefore when my sister and I went to school it was girls only. We both enjoyed that and the way that we are all girls and have the same mentality and were able to discuses issues freely. The final dimension that we had to discuss in our conferencing was disability. In my childhood I was aware of disabled people by seeing them in the media. My siblings and I were looked after by aunty sometimes and she has a speech and language disorders where she couldnt speak fluently. Another thing was that she would have tantrums and knowing that she is having them. I have also realised that she has the mentality of a child thats like ten years old even though she is a lot older. Starting my secondary school I was finding my reading and writing to be very poor. Therefore I seemed to be struggling in my studies but I was fighting myself to do well all the time and to let it but me down. I got to college and during my final year I felt like I was under a lot of pressure and left like I might have a learning difficulty. So I went to the learning support base in college and I asked if I can have a test taken and so I did. The results showed that I was dyslexic and I so therefore I was given extra time in handing my coursework and for my exams. As I started university I tried to apply for disabled students allowance and I sent my college report but the said they dont accept it. So they offered me to take a test with the university it self so I did and the results turned out to be that am not dyslexic and that I wasnt eligible to any extra support. Therefore am finding it hard being at university and trying to cope with all the assignments that are been given to me without any additional support.

Check point: Psychotherapies Essay

Psychotherapy is a psychological technique that can bring about positive changes in personality, behavior, or personal adjustment (Coon & Mitterer,2013). There are many therapies that help people learn how to be more positive and helps a person adjust the way they behave or look at themselves. The Three types of psychotherapies that this paper will summarize by discussing the main tenets of each therapy, their effectiveness in treating psychological disorders, and their strengths are existence therapy, cognitive therapy, and Rational-emotive behavior therapy. Existence therapy focuses on the problems of existence, such as meaning, choice, and responsibility, it also promotes self-knowledge, as well as emphasizes free will, the human ability to make choices(). This type of therapy is effective in treating depression and feeling like ones has no self-worth, or meaning in life. When existential therapy is successful, it brings about a renewed sense of purpose and a reappraisal of what’s important in life. Some clients even experience an emotional rebirth, as if they had survived a close brush with death (Coon & Mitterer,2013). The next one is cognitive therapy, this type of therapy focuses on helping clients change thinking patterns that lead to troublesome emotions or behaviors. The aim is to teach clients how to cope with anger, depression, shyness, stress, and similar problems. This type of therapy is as effective as taking drugs when treating many cases of depression. It helps a person adopt new thinking patterns which often helps to reduce the chances of being depressed again, drugs do not have this effect (Coon & Mitterer,2013). The last one that will be discussed in this paper is also in the cognitive therapy family it’s known as the Ration-Emotive Behavior therapy or REBT for short. This therapy attempts to change irrational beliefs that cause  emotional problems. According to psychologist people become unhappy and develop self-defeating habits because they have unrealistic or faulty beliefs. In order to fight depression psychologists attacks a person’s logic, challenge their thinking, and confront them with evidence contrary to their beliefs (Coon & Mitterer,2013). In the end REBT is supposed to help a person realize that they bring themselves down be thinking irrationally. Psychologists may ask the patient questions like, â€Å"Where is the evidence that you are a loser just because you didn’t do well this one time?† Once challenged by this question the patient will learn to understand that the more rational belief about one’s self is, mistakes happen, and the best thing one can do is learn from the mistake. Reference Page Coon, D., & Mitterer, J. O. (2013). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior (13th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Martin Luther King – I Have a Dream Analysis

Topic Choice: The topic choice ‘I have a dream’ was chosen after a lot of soul searching. It reveals the speaker’s previous experiences growing up and living in a segregated society. He only dreamt of being treated as an equal citizen, not based on the colour of his skin and ethnic background. This topic was directed at millions of African Americans suffering from extreme poverty as a result of being denied opportunities in their own country. The topic resonated with everyone in the crowd on that day and would be repeated several times in the speech.The majority of the people taking part in the march for freedom on that day only dreamt of being accorded the same opportunities and rights that their fellow white citizens enjoyed. ‘I have a dream’ was an excellent topic choice for the event and still remains synonymous with the struggle for freedom up to this day Word Order: In [1], the speaker acknowledges and thanks the audience for attending the histo ric march for freedom and equality, and he reminds them that that particular day would go down in history as the greatest for freedom in the United States of America.He takes them back five years ago and reminds them that despite all the joy and hope they felt when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Act, freedom was still far away. Nothing had changed among blacks, Hispanics and other visible ethnic minorities living in the United States: [1] â€Å"Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity†.Martin Luther King’s demeanor was calm and collected and waited for the words to sink in the audience’s mind before proceeding with the next part of the speech. The order of his words was well org anized right from the start: [1] and [2] talks about the Emancipation Proclamation and its mirage sense of equality. [3], [4] and [5 is a reminder for the United States Government to apply the Emancipation Proclamation to all men black and white. [6] and [7] is a declaration that unless the situation was corrected by the government, revolutions and disturbances will continue. 8], [9] and [10] is a reminder to the audience of the importance of avoiding violence and to restore to peaceful and dignified protests. [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18] and [19] are all an inspirational talk that is the essence of the speech ‘I have a dream'. Stress, Intonation and Coherence: The speaker stresses the importance of his message through his tone. This was not considered an ordinary message. This was supposed to be an extraordinary message from an extraordinary man at a crucial point in the history of African Americans in the United States of America.This was the only non viole nt weapon available to millions of disadvantaged people and the speaker knew the importance of this historic occasion. The speech had been written and revised several times until the Reverend Martin Luther King felt it was now ready to be delivered. Despite all the care, thought and effort put into drafting this speech, its message would be useless if it was not delivered in a coherent and logical manner. In [2] people are still reminded that the Negro is still not free. By invoking the word Negro, he really wanted to bring the message home to thousands of African Americans across America.The tone of his voice was authoritative, commanding as well as captivating the audience. He constantly reminded black people in America how they were living in dire poverty when in fact they were living in the richest country on earth. He was aware that his message would be broadcast in millions of homes across America and the world at large. There were applauses and cheering coming from the thousa nds of people standing in the crowd urging him to go on with the speech. His message was being well received: [2] â€Å"One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition†. In [2], Martin Luther King was not only reminding black people that they were languishing in poverty and being denied all the available opportunities in the land of plenty, but he was speaking directly to the United States government and the majority of white people in America. He was merely telling them they should not forget how wealthy they were at the expense of the suffering poor black people and it was time to change the status quo.Therefore, his audience was not just the thousands of people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial, but the millions of white people who would be watching and listening to his speech in their luxurious homes. Local Semantic Moves: The s peaker does not use just ordinary language to convey his message. He makes use of a number of semantics to enrich and make his message bold. In [3] he speaks of having come to the nation’s capital to cash a cheque and refers to the Declaration of Independence as a promissory note signed by the government.Once a promissory note is signed one cannot go back on that promise and by this he was reminding as well as warning the government that they had to act on their promises and failure to do so would continue to be met with demonstrations across the country. In [4] the speaker, reminds the authorities of having defaulted on their promissory note and the black people’s refusal to believe that there are â€Å"insufficient funds in the bank of justice† and that there are insufficient funds in the† great vaults of opportunity â€Å"of this nation.He invokes colorful language of banking to add meaning to his speech. He maximizes the use of his great oratory skill s. By using semantics, he keeps his audience attentive and wanting to hear more. Martin Luther King chooses his words carefully to inspire in his audience the attitude he wants them to adopt in their quest for freedom, a non violent pursuit o freedom: [8]†We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.Again and again [slightly rising intonation] we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. † Words such as â€Å"dignity, discipline, creative protest, majestic heights, and soul force† inspire a sense of self worthiness and mature dignity in the audience. In [10] King chooses his words brilliantly to reinforce the notion of a peaceful protest. He tells his audience that he is not â€Å"unmindful† of their situation. He totally understands and shares their plight and hardship. The speaker uses adjectives such as †Å"storms nd winds† in describing the audience's fight for freedom. It is like a typhoon that twirls them around and rips them apart but they have to endure it with â€Å"creative and redemptive suffering† and go back to their towns, to their demeaning jobs and to their ghettos to continue their dignified struggle for freedom. King used stimulating words to inspire his audience to seek their lost freedom but at the same time he chose his words carefully to control the probable physical effect of his inspiring words.He was protecting his hearers from any form of violence and brutality that might erupt after the speech. Speech Acts and Schematic Organisation: Throughout his speech, the speaker shows an impeccable sense of organisation and shows how gifted he is in the art of speaking. In [5] and [6] he invokes a sense of urgency of attaining freedom. He reminds the authorities of the seriousness of the matter despite the fact that he might be put in jail after the speech. Here is a man who knew anything could happen to him immediately after addressing this crowd and the nation.He displays his charisma and fearlessness: [5] † NOW [rising intonation] is the time to make real the promises of democracy. † â€Å"NOW [rising intonation] is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. † â€Å"NOW [rising intonation] is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. † â€Å"NOW [high intonation] is the time [pause] to make justice a reality for all of God's children. He emphasizes the word ‘now’ in [5] indicating that they were tired of waiting and something had to be done immediately to address these social injustices. In [6] the speaker warns the authorities of the repercussions of ignoring their requests: â€Å"There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizen ship rights. † This was no joking matter. Although the speaker was addressing the audience gathered at the Lincoln Memorial, this particular message was directed at the United States government and the whole world was listening and watching.In [7] his tone changes as he reminds the authorities once again of what awaits them if they don’t address their concerns: â€Å"The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. † Despite these seemingly harsh and inciting words, the speaker quickly turns his speech around and addresses the black people warning them never to use violence or revenge as a means of attaining freedom. He displays his rhetorical and organizing skills in the process.In [8], [9] and [10] he skillfully urges all black people in America to continue fighting for freedom none violently. Propositional Structures turn Takings, Repairs and Hesitation: In [11] the speaker shows that he is a great man of faith and strength. Despite all the injustices and persecution, he is prepared to continue leading his people in the fight for freedom. He strongly believes that all human were created equal and should be entitled to the same opportunities.In [12], [13], [14] and [15] he starts each of the next paragraphs with a very strong and authoritative voice making the same utterance ‘I have a dream’. This is met by thunderous applauses and delight from the audience. At times he seems to hesitate to start the next sentence. He is simply making sure that his message is sinking deeper into his audience’s hearts and minds: [12] â€Å"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. [13] â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. † [14] â€Å"I have a dream that one day [pause] down [long vowel] in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day down RIGHT THERE [high voice] in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. [15] â€Å"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. † The power of the speech’s title is clearly visible in all these words and they get the crowd jumping up and down, clapping their hands and nodding their heads all in agreement with the speaker. Hope and Freedom In [16], [17], [18] and [19] in the closing stages of his speech, Reverend Martin Luther King changes his speech act in order to drive the final message home.While he has been addressing the United States government and other stakeholders, his attention now turns to the African American gathered here and listening across the United States. He reminds them that despite all the suffering there is still hope and freedom is coming. People just need to persevere. In [18] he reminds the whole nation that freedom is coming to all corners of their country: [18] â€Å"So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. (a) Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. (b) Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! c) Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! (d) Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! (e) But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! (f) Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! (g) Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. (h) From EVERY MOUNTAINSIDE [high intonation] let freedom ring. † The tone in his voice changes considerably when he makes these utterances. His voice displays the seriousness, urgency and boldness associated with the quest for freedom.His concluding remarks show a man who has devoted his life fighting for equality and social justice. He reminds the American people of the beauty of allowing every human being to be free. In his mind, despite all the challenges and struggles of life, the black people will definitely be free one of these days: [19] â€Å"FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST! THANK GOD ALIMIGHTY, WE ARE FREE AT LAST! â€Å"[high intonations][applause and cheering]. The Results of the Analysis: The analysis of this speech illustrates how the Critical Discourse Analysis can explain hidden meaning in language.It does not dwell on one particular theory of discourse analysis but embraces a number of theories available. Using a number of different ling uistic markers has revealed a number of linguistic traits displayed by Martin Luther King. A critical analysis of the topic choice reveals that it was chosen after a thorough and thoughtful process. ‘I have a dream’ becomes engrained in most parts of the speech as a way of emphasising the central theme of the message. The speaker’s style of presentation and rhetorical skills are unique.The speech invokes historical injustices that are still visible in American society and need to be urgently addressed. Just like the urgency with which poverty, injustice and lack of freedom has to be addressed, the speaker delivers his speech with so much punch and vigour. He uses very colourful language in trying to add more meaning to his speech. The audience are mesmerised by the strong and powerful message conveyed by the speech itself. The speaker switches his attention between the people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Authorities as he subconsciously addresses them every now and then.Overall, this was a brilliant speech on a historic occasion which managed to achieve its main objectives. The message was heard by African Americans and the United States government loud and clear. This speech has gone down in history books as one of the best speeches ever to be delivered and still remains an inspiration to millions of people around the world up to this day. The Conclusion: Critical Discourse Analysis is a powerful tool for analysing speeches. Often, some speeches especially media texts, may not be comprehensible to the audience.Critical Discourse Analysis aims to demystify anything not apparent from the speeches and it tends to be more associated with power, struggle and politics, hence it has been appropriate to analyse Martin Luther King’s speech using Critical Discourse Analysis. Additionally, Reverend Martin Luther King’s speech owes its background to years of struggling, poverty and denial of opportunities for th e majority of black Americans. He delivers the speech in a perfect setting after a long March for freedom when everyone was quiet anxious and expectant by the end of the day.The authorities were carefully watching him and scrutinising every word that came out of his mouth. Despite all the attention, he delivered the speech flawlessly and without any fear. His style and rhetoric was just unique and his speech was very well received by those gathered and everyone else watching at home. He continually repeated the title of the speech, ‘I have a dream’ as he attempted top drive his message home. In using the critical analysis approach, the writer attempted to unravel some of the hidden meaning engrained in this speech.

Biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Unifier of Japan

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1539–September 18, 1598) was the leader of Japan who reunified the country after 120 years of political fragmentation. During his rule, known as the Momoyama or Peach Mountain age, the country was united as a more-or-less peaceful federation of 200 independent daimyo (great lords), with himself as an imperial regent. Fast Facts: Toyotomi Hideyoshi Known For: Ruler of Japan, reunified the countryBorn: 1536 in Nakamura, Owari Province, JapanParents: Farmer and part-time soldier Yaemon and his wifeDied: September 18, 1598 at Fushimi castle, KyotoEducation: Trained as a military aide to Matsushita Yukitsana (1551–1558), then with Oda Nobunaga (1558–1582)Published Works: The Tensho-ki, a biography he commissionedSpouse(s): Chacha (principal concubine and mother of his children)Children: Tsurumatsu (1580–1591), Toyotomi Hideyori (1593–1615) Early Life Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born in 1536, in Nakamura, Owari Province, Japan.  He was the second child of Yaemon, a peasant farmer and part-time soldier for the Oda clan, who died in 1543  when the boy was 7 years old and his sister was about 10. Hideyoshi’s mother soon remarried. Her new husband also served Oda Nobuhide, the daimyo of the Owari region, and she had another son and daughter. Hideyoshi was small for his age and skinny. His parents sent him to a temple to get an education, but the boy ran away seeking adventure. In 1551, he joined the service of Matsushita Yukitsuna, a retainer of the powerful Imagawa family in Totomi province. This was unusual because both Hideyoshi’s father and his stepfather had served the Oda clan. Joining Oda Hideyoshi returned home in 1558 and offered his service to Oda Nobunaga, son of the daimyo. At the time, the Imagawa clans army of 40,000 was invading Owari, Hideyoshi’s home province. Hideyoshi took a huge gamble—the Oda army numbered only about 2,000.  In 1560, the Imagawa and Oda armies met in battle at Okehazama.  Oda Nobunaga’s tiny force ambushed the Imagawa troops in a driving rainstorm and scored an incredible victory, driving the invaders away. Legend says that 24-year-old Hideyoshi served in this battle as Nobunaga’s sandal-bearer. However, Hideyoshi does not appear in Nobunaga’s surviving writings until the early 1570s. Promotion Six years later, Hideyoshi led a raid that captured Inabayama Castle for the Oda clan. Oda Nobunaga rewarded him by making him a general. In 1570, Nobunaga attacked his brother-in-law’s castle, Odani. Hideyoshi led the first three detachments of one thousand samurai each against the well-fortified castle. Nobunaga’s army used the devastating new technology of firearms, rather than horse-mounted swordsmen. Muskets are not much use against castle walls, however, so Hideyoshi’s section of the Oda army settled in for a siege. By 1573, Nobunagas troops had defeated all of its enemies in the area. For his part, Hideyoshi received the daimyo-ship of three regions within Omi Province. By 1580, Oda Nobunaga had consolidated power in over 31 of Japans 66 provinces. Upheaval In 1582, Nobunagas general Akechi Mitsuhide turned his army against his lord, attacking and overrunning Nobunagas castle. Nobunagas diplomatic machinations had caused the hostage-murder of Mitsuhides mother.  Mitsuhide forced Oda Nobunaga and his eldest son to commit seppuku. Hideyoshi captured one of Mitsuhides messengers and learned of Nobunagas death the next day. He and other Oda generals, including Tokugawa Ieyasu, raced to avenge their lords death. Hideyoshi caught up with Mitsuhide first, defeating and killing him at the Battle of Yamazaki just 13 days after Nobunagas death. A succession fight erupted in the Oda clan. Hideyoshi supported Nobunagas grandson Oda Hidenobu. Tokugawa Ieyasu preferred the oldest remaining son Oda Nobukatsu. Hideyoshi prevailed, installing Hidenobu as the new Oda daimyo. Throughout 1584, Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu engaged in intermittent skirmishes, none decisive. At the Battle of Nagakute, Hideyoshis troops were crushed, but Ieyasu lost three of his top generals. After eight months of this costly fighting, Ieyasu sued for peace. Hideyoshi now controlled 37 provinces. In conciliation, Hideyoshi distributed lands to his defeated foes in the Tokugawa and Shibata clans. He also granted lands to Samboshi and Nobutaka. This was a clear signal that he was taking power in his own name. Hideyoshi Reunifies Japan In 1583, Hideyoshi began construction on Osaka Castle, a symbol of his power and intent to rule all of Japan. Like Nobunaga, he refused the title of Shogun. Some courtiers doubted a farmer’s son could legally claim that title. Hideyoshi circumvented the potentially embarrassing debate by taking the title of kampaku, or regent, instead.  Hideyoshi then ordered the dilapidated Imperial Palace restored, and offered gifts of money to the cash-strapped imperial family. Hideyoshi also decided to bring the southern island of Kyushu under his authority. This island was home to the primary trading ports through which goods from China, Korea, Portugal, and other nations made their way into Japan. Many of the daimyo of Kyushu had converted to Christianity under the influence of Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries. Some had been converted by force, and Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines were destroyed. In November 1586, Hideyoshi sent a huge invasion force to Kyushu, totaling some 250,000 troops. A number of local daimyo rallied to his side as well, so it did not take long for the massive army to crush all resistance. As usual, Hideyoshi confiscated all of the land and then returned smaller portions to his defeated foes and rewarded his allies with much larger fiefdoms. He also ordered the expulsion of all Christian missionaries on Kyushu. The final reunification campaign took place in 1590. Hideyoshi sent another huge army, probably more than 200,000 men, to conquer the mighty Hojo clan, which ruled the area around Edo (now Tokyo).  Ieyasu and Oda Nobukatsu led the army, joined by a naval force to bottle up the Hojo resistance from the sea. The defiant daimyo Hojo Ujimasa withdrew to Odawara Castle and settled in to wait out Hideyoshi. After six months, Hideyoshi sent in Ujimasas brother to ask for the Hojo daimyos surrender. He refused, and Hideyoshi launched a three-day, all-out attack on the castle. Ujimasa finally sent his son to surrender the castle. Hideyoshi ordered Ujimasa to commit seppuku. He confiscated the domains  and sent Ujimasas son and brother into exile. The great Hojo clan was obliterated. Hideyoshis Reign In 1588, Hideyoshi forbade all Japanese citizens besides samurai from owning weapons. This Sword Hunt angered farmers and warrior-monks, who traditionally had kept weapons and participated in wars and rebellions. Hideyoshi wanted to clarify the boundaries between the various social classes in Japan  and to prevent uprisings by the monks and peasants. Three years later, Hideyoshi issued another order forbidding anyone from hiring ronin, the wandering samurai with no masters. Towns also were barred from allowing farmers to become traders or craftsmen. The Japanese social order was to be set in stone. If you were born a farmer, you died a farmer. If you were a samurai born into the service of a particular daimyo, there you stayed. Hideyoshi himself rose from the peasant class to become kampaku. Nonetheless, this hypocritical order helped to usher in a centuries-long era of peace and stability. In order to keep the daimyo in check, Hideyoshi ordered them to send their wives and children to the capital city as hostages. The daimyo themselves would spend alternating years in their fiefs and in the capital. This system, called sankin kotai or alternate attendance, was codified in 1635 and continued until 1862. Finally, Hideyoshi also ordered a nationwide population census  and a survey of all the lands. It measured not only the exact sizes of the different domains  but also the relative fertility and expected crop yield. All of this information was key for setting taxation rates. Succession Problems Hideyoshis only children were two boys, from his principal concubine Chacha (also known as Yodo-dono or Yodo-gimi), the daughter of Oda Nobunagas sister. In 1591, Hideyoshis only son, a toddler named Tsurumatsu, suddenly died, followed soon by Hideyoshis half-brother Hidenaga. The kampaku adopted Hidenagas son Hidetsugu as his heir. In 1592, Hideyoshi became the taiko or retired regent, while Hidetsugu took the title of kampaku. This retirement was in name only, however—Hideyoshi maintained his hold on power. The following year, however, Hideyoshis concubine Chacha gave birth to a new son. This baby, Hideyori, represented a serious threat to Hidetsugu. Hideyoshi had a substantial force of bodyguards posted to protect the child from any attack by his uncle. Hidetsugu developed a bad reputation across the country as a cruel and blood-thirsty man. He was known to drive out into the countryside with his musket and shoot down farmers in their fields just for practice. He also played executioner, relishing the job of chopping up convicted criminals with his sword. Hideyoshi could not tolerate this dangerous and unstable man, who posed an obvious threat to the baby Hideyori. In 1595, he accused Hidetsugu of plotting to overthrow him and ordered him to commit seppuku. Hidetsugus head was displayed on the city walls after his death. Shockingly, Hideyoshi also ordered Hidetsugus wives, concubines, and children all to be brutally executed except for a one-month-old daughter. This excessive cruelty was not an isolated incident in Hideyoshis later years. He also ordered his friend and tutor, the tea-ceremony master Rikyu, to commit seppuku at the age of 69 in 1591. In 1596, he ordered the crucifixion of six shipwrecked Spanish Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits, and 17 Japanese Christians at Nagasaki. Invasions of Korea Throughout the late 1580s and early 1590s, Hideyoshi sent a number of emissaries to King Seonjo of Korea, demanding safe passage through the country for the Japanese army. Hideyoshi informed the Joseon king that he intended to conquer Ming China and India. The Korean ruler made no reply to these messages. In February 1592, 140,000 Japanese army troops arrived in an armada of some 2,000 boats and ships. It attacked Busan, in southeastern Korea.  In weeks, the Japanese advanced to the capital city of Seoul. King Seonjo and his court fled north, leaving the capital to be burned and looted. By July, the Japanese held Pyeongyang as well. The battle-hardened samurai troops cut through the Korean defenders like a sword through butter, to China’s concern. The land war went Hideyoshis way, but Korean naval superiority made life difficult for the Japanese. The Korean fleet had better weaponry and more experienced sailors. It also had a secret weapon—the iron-clad turtle ships, which were nearly invulnerable to Japans underpowered naval cannon. Cut off from their food and ammunition supplies, the Japanese army got bogged down in the mountains of northern Korea. Korean Admiral Yi Sun Shin scored a devastating victory over Hideyoshis navy at the Battle of Hansan-do on August 13, 1592. Hideyoshi ordered his remaining ships to cease engagements with the Korean navy.  In January 1593, the Wanli Emperor of China sent 45,000 troops to reinforce the beleaguered Koreans. Together, the Koreans and Chinese pushed Hideyoshis army out of Pyeongyang. The Japanese were pinned down and with their navy unable to deliver supplies, they began to starve.  In mid-May1593, Hideyoshi relented and ordered his troops home to Japan. He did not give up his dream of a mainland empire, however. In August 1597, Hideyoshi sent a second invasion force against Korea. This time, however, the Koreans and their Chinese allies were better prepared. They stopped the Japanese army short of Seoul and forced them back toward Busan in a slow, grinding drive. Meanwhile, Admiral Yi set out to crush Japans rebuilt naval forces once more. Death Hideyoshis grand imperial scheme came to an end on September 18, 1598, when the taiko died. On his deathbed, Hideyoshi repented sending his army into this Korean quagmire. He said, Dont let my soldiers become spirits in a foreign land. Hideyoshis biggest concern as he lay dying, however, was the fate of his heir. Hideyori was only 5 years old and unable to assume his fathers powers, so Hideyoshi set up the Council of Five Elders to rule as his regents until he came of age. This council included Tokugawa Ieyasu, Hideyoshi’s one-time rival. The old taiko extracted vows of loyalty to his little son from a number of other senior daimyo and sent precious gifts of gold, silk robes, and swords to all the important political players. He also made personal appeals to the Council members to protect and serve Hideyori faithfully. Hideyoshis Legacy The Council of Five Elders kept the taikos death a secret for several months while they withdrew the Japanese army from Korea. With that piece of business complete, though, the council broke down into two opposing camps. On one side was Tokugawa Ieyasu. On the other were the remaining four elders. Ieyasu wanted to take power for himself. The others supported little Hideyori. In 1600, the two forces came to blows in the Battle of Sekigahara. Ieyasu prevailed  and declared himself shogun. Hideyori was confined to Osaka Castle. In 1614, the 21-year-old Hideyori began to gather soldiers, preparing to challenge Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu launched the Siege of Osaka in November, forcing him to disarm and sign a peace pact. The next spring, Hideyori tried again to gather troops. The Tokugawa army launched an all-out attack on Osaka Castle, reducing sections to rubble with their cannon and setting the castle on fire. Hideyori and his mother committed seppuku. His 8-year-old son was captured by the Tokugawa forces and beheaded. That was the end of the Toyotomi clan. The Tokugawa shoguns would rule Japan until the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Although his lineage did not survive, Hideyoshis influence on Japanese culture and politics was enormous. He solidified the class structure, unified the nation under central control, and popularized cultural practices such as the tea ceremony. Hideyoshi finished the unification begun by his lord, Oda Nobunaga, setting the stage for the peace and stability of the Tokugawa Era. Sources Berry, Mary Elizabeth. Hideyoshi. Cambridge: The Harvard University Press, 1982.  Hideyoshi, Toyotomi. 101 Letters of Hideyoshi: The Private Correspondence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Sophia University, 1975.Turnbull, Stephen. Toyotomi Hideyoshi: Leadership, Strategy, Conflict. Osprey Publishing, 2011.