History paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

History paper - Essay Example Children’s Rights narrates the story of the horrible neglect of children by responsible elders and the cruelty inflicted on them. It also tells us how the lawmakers finally realized the need to protect the children, both physically and mentally. Mary Ellen’s case in 1874 is taken in this book as a fine example of the extent to which child abuse can reach. Born to an immigrant woman, the baby Ellen’s fate was to grow under the carelessness of different mothers, finally ending up in the cruel hands of Frances Conolly. She could not know even the warmth of a kiss, or caress, her body carried the bruises of perpetual whipping, starved beyond imagination, and could not even see the sunlight. A social worker, Etta Angel Wheeler, who discovered the plight of Mary Ellen, failed to get help either from police or from any charitable institutions to rescue the child, as they wanted legal proof. â€Å"Though social workers often witnessed scenes of cruelty, poverty, and gri ef, Wheeler found Mary Ellen’s plight especially horrifying†, says the writer (Stevens). Finally it was the founder of American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Henry Berg, who came to her aid. The child was considered as a living animal, which was subjected to cruelty, and a case was registered with enough proof. Mary lived a decent life thereafter. Conolly was punished and the world opened its eyes to protect the children from abuses. Thus Children’s Rights reflects the utter ignorance of the society and the government on a very vital issue. The Needless War with Spain shows America’s greed for aggressive and expansionist policies. It is about America’s involvement in the domestic affairs of Cuba. McKinley was the President of America at that period. He was a very weak President. If he had possessed the sharp political will, the war with Spain could have been avoided. But,