Parent training gender norm during through youth age Research Paper

Parent training gender norm during through youth age - Research Paper Example Gender norms are the creation of society as a whole, with the unconscious notions of normal behaviors for the genders begun through the influence of a child’s parental role models. Gender norms begin through the actions of parents to the children. Reactions define how the child will see themselves as either a boy or a girl. Through the purchase of toys, the tone of speech, and even their own role modeling, parents insert their ideas about gender norms into the behaviors of their children. Newman and Newman (2012) discuss the complexity of influences that parents have on their children concerning norms. They state that â€Å"the experience to which they expose them (their children), and the activities in which they encourage their children’s participation all reflect dimensions of the parents’ gender role standards† (Newman & Newman, 2012, p. 245). When children get to school age they have had discipline for gender inappropriate behavior and encouraged to adopt the social standards of behavior that are expected. Gender is an issue of social construction. Although there are many debates on how children are socialized to enact their gender, whether it is biological or strictly psychological, the development of social roles for the genders as a topic has shown that men and women are taught to act different than each other in society. Gender roles are developed through the creation of norms, behaviors, and beliefs about the abilities of a gender to act within society. Social expectations tend to refine those beliefs so that roles can be filled (Munez, 2013). Acculturation occurs within a family where examples and teaching provide young males and females with information about how their gender identifies them within a community. Through the continuation of these beliefs throughout a community, gender norms are created. The use of gender norms as a way in which to calculate behaviors provides the researcher with a

Adult nursing scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Adult nursing scenario - Essay Example Mrs. Taylor, 68 is admitted with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) She is breathless and anxious.She has limited mobility due to a painful left hip.Using the Reflective Cycle of G. Gibbs (1988) I will reflect on the learning and developmental needs identified in the scenario described. The six 'stopping points' provide a helpful personal insight and are followed, in order, throughout this essay.Description: When Mrs. Taylor was admitted in the condition earlier described, I was working with a senior colleague, a ward sister experienced in adult nursing. The patient was in pain, greatly distressed and with some cyanosis.She had been handling her condition at home with the help of oxygen and drug therapy, so her present state indicated that some triggers must have exacerbated the condition.These could be bronchitis, pneumonia, allergy or too many cigarettes.Feelings: I felt a sense of urgency and the need to get medication started to alleviate the symptoms. I fe lt concern for her physical well-being and some frustration that it could be helped 'at once.'When I observed how sister spoke softly and reassuringly to Mrs. Taylor, touching her hand and smoothing her forehead, I felt slightly ashamed.At sister's suggestion, Mrs.Taylor breathed more slowly and her anxiety diminished. I then sat with her, asking how she was feeling, really listening carefully to her responses.I thought how much more difficult this would be with a child or mentally disabled adult,recognising the need for a more psychological approach... These could be bronchitis, pneumonia, allergy or too many cigarettes. NICE Guideline (2004) conclude ' The disease is predominantly caused by smoking and nearly all sufferers are over 35.' 2. The painful left hip was another major cause for concern. We got her settled in bed, nebuliser mask on and bed head raised, promising pain relief for the hip. Feelings: I felt a sense of urgency and the need to get medication started to alleviate the symptoms. I felt concern for her physical well-being and some frustration that it could be helped 'at once.' When I observed how sister spoke softly and reassuringly to Mrs. Taylor, touching her hand and smoothing her forehead, I felt slightly ashamed. At sister's suggestion, Mrs. Taylor breathed more slowly and her anxiety diminished. I then sat with her, asking how she was feeling, really listening carefully to her responses. 'Attending is the act of really focusing on the person who needs help. We need to make ourselves deliberately aware of what the other person is saying and of what he or she is trying to tell us.' Morrison and Burnard (1991) I thought how much more difficult this would be with a child or mentally disabled adult, recognising the need for a more psychological approach, more reassurances and a 'person-focused' nursing style. Adults like Mrs. Taylor appear more able to contribute to their own improvement, being both knowledgeable and aware. I thought that no matter which nursing domain I was involved in, I would recognise that the same requirements of reassurance, administration of medication and accurate record keeping would apply. I would also adhere to the principles of respect for any cultural or social background.

Palliative Care Clinical Experience

Palliative Care Clinical Experience Introduction The purpose of this assignment is to reflect on a clinical experience in palliative care and demonstrate the knowledge and skills associated with this. The symptoms, symptom management and government guidelines and standards will also be discussed in relation to how this will impact the care of the patients who are experiencing life threatening illnesses. This will be achieved through using Gibbs (1988) model of reflection. I chose this model of reflection because it is clear and cyclical model which allows the reflector to revisit the same problem and also to examine my practice which will help me to develop and improve in the future. Description As an adult nursing student, I will be reflecting on an experience with a patient who was receiving palliative care that I encountered during my community placement. The patient received palliative care and required management of symptoms to help maintain their quality of life for the patient and their family. This involved a patient, who will be named Mr. Jones for confidentiality reasons. Mr. Jones was an elderly patient who had been diagnosed with bowel cancer along with liver metastases, the cancer was in the advanced stages. Mr. Jones was being cared for at home by his wife and carers who visited him at home twice a day to help with getting him up, washing and dressing and helping him back to bed. The district nursing team also visited him on a regular basis. When meeting with the patient his main concern was his pain control and available options which he would be able to receive to manage this. Feelings Initially when I heard about the diagnosis I was intrigued and wanted to find out more about the patient and their condition. When I met the patient I felt sympathetic towards him and the family and upon discussion he revealed that he felt like giving up and ending it all. A mixture of thoughts entered my mind, although I could understand why he would want to give up, the only reason was because he was worried about the pain he was starting to experience. When the nurse and I discussed the pain control options he appeared to be more positive about the situation and apologized for what he had said. On reflection it was a positive experience as it allowed me to see how people cope differently with terminal conditions, and the impact it has on the family and carers Evaluation During this experience I thought that the nursing team had built a good professional relationship with the patient and their family. The patient had plenty of time to discuss any concerns or issues that he had .The issues discussed such as symptom management were all assessed and prioritized well; how the patient is feeling is important and needs to be taken into consideration. This would also need to be discussed with his wife alone, to find out how she is feeling and to offer her support. When discussed further, the feelings of giving up related to his pain management. This is why the Visual Analogue Scale was used for a couple of weeks to monitor the progression of his pain (Crichton 2001). I found the tool to be beneficial for effective management of pain because it was a good indicator as to when we would need to adjust his analgesia using the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder (WHO, 2004). This aims to give the correct drug, correct dose, given at the correct time and proves to be inexpensive and 80-90% effective (WHO, 2004). This ensured the patient was in the least amount of pain which enabled them to carry on with activities of daily living. Analysis The World Health Organization (2009) has defined palliative care as: an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems such as physical, psychosocial and spiritual.Caring for those receiving palliative care in the community during the end stages of life requires an extraordinary commitment from the nursing team, not only human resource but also competence, compassion and focus in anticipating the needs of the patient and family. It is a complex activity involving a holistic approach, building relationships together with expert professional skills and decision making processes (Melvin 2003). As well as pain, other common symptoms during advanced cancer are nausea and vomiting, with rates ranging from 50-60% (Kearney and Richardson, 2006). It is important to treat the reversible causes of nausea and vomiting before resorting to antiemetics. This can be achieved by appropriate assessment and documentation of symptoms which evaluate the effect of treatment given and can be completed and reviewed quickly to utilize less patient energy and nursing time (Kearney and Richardson, 2006). Cancer patients also experience psychological or affective symptoms of fatigue which include lack of energy and motivation, depression, sadness and anxiety, the sense of willpower and fighting spirit is often lacking and personal resources that have usually kept a person going in the past are ineffective (Juenger, 2002). Fatigue can take away the ability to do things that the patient and family want to do or need to do. The control over life events reduces, further affecting the persons quality of life. An essential part of nursing care for fatigue includes returning some of that control (Porock 2003). Giving information can be a positive way to do this. Nu rses can explain that the person is not alone in the experience as fatigue is an expected occurrence in advanced cancer and discuss the causes of fatigue, effects and side effects of treatment and the impact of stress and depression, this will help the patient to manage the fatigue more effectively (Porock 2003).Mr. Jones was prescribed oral slow-release Morphine Sulphate for his pain, however he was beginning to experience break through pain, nausea and vomiting which was making it difficult for him to take his morphine. We suggested he kept a record of his pain over a couple of weeks using a visual analogue scale (VAS). When we visited him again we were able to use the VAS to assess his pain and make changes to analgesia as appropriate using the analgesic ladder (see appendix). From the assessment it was appropriate to increase his analgesia to step 3 of the analgesic ladder (WHO, 2004). A syringe driver was prescribed to administer morphine and an antiemetic over a 24 hour period which could be increased or decreased as required. Providing drug compatibilities have been checked, a combination of three drugs can usually be administered safely with the advantage that vomiting will not affect absorption, as it is given subcutaneously and the gut is not involved (Thompson, 2004). Although using a syringe driver improves symptom management with minimal inconvenience, complications can arise and nurses should be able to recognize these quickly and solve the problems efficiently (Lugton, 2002). The disadvantages of using this equipment is the painful injection site, infection risks and infusion rate problems (Thompson, 2004). Mr. Jones commented on giving up and after further discussion, we found this related to his pain. Evidence shows that there is a link between chronic pain and depression as they share similar physiological pathways, whilst social and psychological factors appear to affect the severity of it and when they co-exist the severity of both conditions appears to worsen (Gray, 2001). Ineffective management of psychiatric disorders can be caused by failure to recognize, diagnose and treat appropriately in palliative care settings with 50% of psychiatric disorders being undetected (Payne et al, 2007). Patients with cancer should have access to appropriate psychological support and should be assessed regularly by trained professionals as recommended by National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2004).Many people may wish to try complementary and alternative medicines to improve symptoms of their cancer, the reason being many feel dissatisfied with conventional medicine and feel the desir e to experience holistic health care for symptomatic relief with a sense of well being (Nayak et al 2003). Auricular acupuncture (acupuncture to the ear), therapeutic touch, and hypnosis may help to manage cancer pain, whilst music therapy, massage, and hypnosis may have an effect on anxiety, and both acupuncture and massage may have a therapeutic role in cancer fatigue (Mansky and Wallerstedt 2006). However there is a lack of evidence to support that complementary and alternative medicine treatments are effective, the risks associated with them are unknown and can potentially be harmful. There has been increasing concern with the use of botanicals and dietary supplements by cancer patients because of the potential interaction between them and prescription drugs (Mansky and Wallerstedt 2006). During this experience, I realised just how important communication is, not only in this situation, but any situation that includes the patient, relatives, carers and multi-disciplinary team. C ommunication is an essential part of good nursing practice and forms the basis for building a trusting relationship that will greatly improve care and help to reduce anxiety and stress for patients, their relatives and carers (NMC 2008). Groogan (1999) acknowledges that communication is not something that people to do one another, but it is a process in which they can create a relationship by interacting with each other. From Mr. Jones perspective, patient-focused communication can be the most important aspect of treatment, due to its capacity to exacerbate or relieve the fear that often accompanies cancer, with evidence of effective communication resulting in decreased anxiety, greater coping ability and adherence to treatment (Dickson 1999). Communication can be divided into three types; cognitive, emotional and spiritual. Cognitive communication involves the giving and receiving of information, emotional communication involves the feeling and expression of psychological responses and spiritual communication involves the expression and feeling of thoughts relating to existing issues beyond the person (Fallowfield Jenkins 1999). When speaking with Mr. Jones and his family the language used was clear and easy to understand. Stress, emotions and fatigue that accompany a terminal illness make it necessary for the information to be repeated to ensure the patient and family have absorbed it and feel reassured (Latimer 2000).Mr. Jones was given enough time to discuss his concerns and issues without feeling like he had a limited period or that the nurses had many other patients to see, however, what often matters is the quality of interaction rather than the length of time. Giving a few moments of time which are totally focused on the patients communication needs can often limit the amount of time spent communicating later when further explanation or clarification is needed (Faull et al, 2005). Mallet and Dougherty (2000) suggested that patients tend to be more dis satisfied with poor communication than with any other aspect of their care and concluded ineffective communication continues to be a major issue in health care.The Department of Health has produced the End of Life Care Strategy (DoH 2008) which promotes high quality care for all adults at the end of life which is the first for the United Kingdom and covers adults in England. Its aim is to provide people approaching the end of life with more choice about where they would like to live and die. In addition, the Macmillan Gold Standards Framework (2003) is another way of combining many different practices. The framework includes 7 Gold Standards which relate to key aspects of care, and guidelines for best practice on teamwork and continuity of care, advanced planning, symptom control and support for patients and their carers. Primary Health Care Teams who join the programme are guided and supported through a combination of workshops, resource materials and networking (Macmillan Cancer R elief 2003). In place is also the NICE clinical guidance on supportive and palliative care (NICE 2004) which advises those who develop and deliver cancer services for adults with cancer about what is needed to make sure that patients, their families and carers, are well informed, cared for and supported. These initiatives had a positive impact on Mr. Jones as the nurses were able to use these guidelines to offer Mr. Jones the best care suited for him and he was then able to make informed decisions regarding the care he would like to receive. These initiatives also have a positive impact on health care professionals as they are supported and encouraged to improve their knowledge through workshops and resource materials. Action Plan/Conclusion My reflection of this experience has taught me how complex it is caring for someone receiving palliative care. It requires a holistic approach to ensure the patient and the family receive the best possible care in accordance with the guidelines and standards, in which they must remain empowered and make informed choices regarding their care and treatment with the help of health care professionals. I now understand how complicated symptom management can be; cancer patients experience many symptoms from their condition and also side effects from their medication. Assessments are vital to ensure the appropriate treatment and management of symptoms. The importance of communication has been brought to my attention once again, in my future nursing practice I will focus on my communication skills as this is an essential part of good nursing practice and plays a vital role in palliative care. Although this was an upsetting experience it has also been a positive one as this will affect my fut ure nursing practice a great deal as I have gained vital skills to look after those receiving palliative care and I am now aware of the various strategies and frameworks in place to ensure patients and families receive a high standard of care.

My Mom, a True Hero Essay -- Personal Narrative

My Mom, a True Hero You may not realize it, but you may already be someone’s role model, someone’s hero. It’s such an amazing concept. Stop and think for just a moment about those around you. This ability to influence others is extraordinary and yet it can be so easily misused. Mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, anyone can be a hero. Young or old, male or female, heroism has no prerequisites. Heroism amounts to more than just saying and believing in certain ideas. It is only through action that heroes emerge. I say this as a means to understanding the true traits of a hero. While there are those who preach of wonderful things, it is the hero who goes out and accomplishes the extraordinary. Firefighters are heroes. Police officers are heroes. Every time firemen storm into a burning building, they risk their lives to save others. Every time police officers go to work, they fear the might not be coming home that night. Their willingness to risk their own safety an d sacrifice their own well-being to protect others is a true example of what heroism is all about. However, these aren’t the only heroes in our world. There are many heroes that often go unrecognized for their wonderful actions. I know a hero. Her name is Linda Gomez. I have known Ms. Gomez for as long as I can remember. It was so long ago that we were first introduced that I cannot imagine life without her. What makes this woman a hero is the ability she has shown to overcome all obstacles. It was not until 1999 that I began to understand just how special this woman truly is. After going through a messy divorce from her husband, it was the court’s decree that the children of the marriage be sent to live with their father. Unfortunate... ...ssist with the son’s college funding and has forced Ms. Gomez to produce the entire amount on her own. Because of the existence of the three other children, this is extremely difficult for her. Never once though has she complained or been unable to provide him with the money. In her I see a true hero willing to do anything to take care of her children. This parent’s love for her children is so deep that nothing could destroy it. She is a mother so loving of her children that her own wants and her own wishes are merely afterthoughts. To know a hero is to be truly blessed. Twenty years of life has shown me that Ms. Gomez is indeed a hero. She has sacrificed so much of herself and has the characteristics of a true hero. She is extremely giving, absolutely selfless and willing to lend a hand in any possible situation. I’m so grateful that I can call her mom.

A Case Study of Wegmans Food Markets Essay

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., is one of the premier grocery chains in the United States. Headquartered in Rochester, NY, Wegmans operates over 70 stores. The company employs over 23,000 people, and has annual sales of over Rs. 2.0 billion. Wegmans has a strong reputation for offering its customers high product quality and excellent service. Through a combination of market research, trial and error, and listening to its customers, Wegmans has evolved into a very successful organization. In fact, Wegmans is so good at what it does that grocery chains all over the country send representatives to Wegmans for a firsthand look at operations. Many of the company’s stores are giant 100,000 square foot superstores, double or triple the size of average supermarkets. A superstore typically employs from 500 to 600 people. Individual stores differ somewhat in terms of actual size and some special features. Aside from the features normally found in supermarkets, they generally have a large bakery Section (each store bakes its own bread, rolls, cakes, pies, and pastries), and extra-large produce sections. They also offer film processing a complete pharmacy, a card shop and video rentals. In-store floral shops range in size up to 800 square feet of space, and offer a wide variety of fresh-cut flowers, flower arrangements, varies and plants. In-store card shops covers over 1000 square feet of floor of floor space. The bulk foods department provides customers with the opportunity to select what quantities they desire from a vast array of foodstuffs and some nonfood items. Each store is a little different. Among the special features in some stores are a dry cleaning department, a wokery, and a salad bar. Some feature a Market Cafe that has different food stations, each devoted to preparing and serving a certain type of food. For example, one station has pizza and other Italian specialties, and another oriental food. There are also being a sandwich bar, a salad bar and a dessert station. Customers often wander among stations as they decide what to order. In several affluent locations, customers can stop in on their way home from work and choose from a selection of freshly prepared dinner entrees. Some stores have a coffee shop section with tables and chairs where shoppers can enjoy regular or specialty coffees and variety o f tempting pastries. The company prides itself on fresh produce. Produce is replenished as often as 12 times a day. The larger stores have produce sections that are four to five times the size of a produce section of an average supermarket. Wegmans offers locally grown produce a season. Wegmans uses a ’farm to market’ system whereby some local growers deliver their produce directly to individual stores, bypassing the main warehouse. That reduces the company’s inventory holding costs and gets the produce into the stores as quickly as possible. Growers may use specially designed containers that go right onto the store floor instead of large bins. This avoids the bruising that often occurs when fruits and vegetables are transferred from bins to display shelves and the need to devote labor to transfer the produce to shelves. In addition to large display cases of both fresh and frozen meat products, many stores have a full-service butcher shop that offers a variety of fresh meat products and where butchers are available to provide customized cuts of meat for customers. Each department handles its own ordering. Although sales records are available from records of items scanned at the checkouts, they are not used directly for replenishing stock. Other factors, such as pricing, special promotions, local circumstances must all be taken into account. However, for seasonal periods, such as holidays, managers often check scanner records to learn what past demand was during a comparable period. The superstores typically receive one truckload of goods per day from the main warehouse.During peak periods, a store may receive two truckloads from the main warehouse. The short lead-time greatly reduce the length of the time an item might be out of stock, unless the main warehouse is also out of stock. The company exercises strict control over suppliers, insisting on product quality and on-time deliveries. The company recognises the value of good employees. It typically invests an average of Rs.7000 to train each new employee. In addition to learning about stores operations, new employees learn the importance of good customer service and how to provide it. The employees are helpful, cheerfully answering customer questions or handling complaints. Employees are motivated through a combination of compensation, profit sharing, and benefits. Quality and Customer satisfaction are utmost in the minds of Wegmans management and its employees. Private label food items as well as name brands are regularly evaluated in test kitchens, along with the potential new products. Managers are responsible for checking and maintaining products and service quality in their departments. Moreover, employees are encouraged to report problems to their managers.If a customer is dissatisfied with an item and returns it, or even a portion of the item, the customer is offered a choice of a replacement or a refund. If the item is a Wegmans brand food item, it is then sent to the test kitchen to determine the cause of the problem. If the cause can be determined, corrective action is taken.

Dealing with Loneliness

I never had many friends. I was always the loner kid, sitting in the corner, not talking or even looking at anyone, you know? The one with the glasses, the braces, the ‘uncool’ shoes; the classic victim. For as long as I could remember I’d been picked on. Whether it was someone thieving my books, or pushing me over ‘by accident’, there was always something. The awful thing was, nobody seemed to care. The teachers chose not to see it, and my parents just told me to deal with it; â€Å"just ignore them† was one of their favourite lines. So I built up a wall. I learnt to keep out of peoples’ way, and just do what they told me to do.I never drew attention to myself in lessons; pretended that I was dumb, that I didn’t know anything. My teachers despaired of me, I think; after all, wouldn’t you? So when I started secondary school, I saw it as an opportunity to start afresh. No one knew me, I could be a different person, and maybe people wouldn’t be so mean. And at first, it worked. I had a group of friends, which was a novelty for me, seeing as it had never happened before, and I made more of an effort in lessons. My parents didn’t mind that I was going out every night to hang out in the park.They were just relieved that I wasn’t still a loner. I actually spoke to them at home, told them about my day; they were amazed. Over the next few months, my popularity increased. I found myself in the middle of a large group of friends, and it was fascinating to me that these people actually wanted to be around me, to be my friend, to talk to me; and this time, they said nice things, not insults and threats. I never told any of my new friends about the bullying at my primary school. I guess I thought that if I told them, they might change their opinions of me and maybe think that I wasn’t so cool after all.About half way through my first year at secondary school, a boy started at our school . When we were told in assembly, the name rang a bell in my memory, but I couldn’t put a face to the name. But as soon as he walked into our class, I knew who he was. I must have done a double take or something, because my best friend sitting next to me immediately asked me what was wrong. He was a guy from my primary school, the leader of the nastiness. I don’t think he recognised me; at least he didn’t show it – after all, the glasses had gone and I was sitting with loads of my friends, not in my old haunt in the corner.For about a week he did nothing, he didn’t even speak to me; I was stupid enough to think that maybe he had forgotten. But I was wrong. About a week after he started, I started to get these texts, saying horrible, cruel things; worse than they’d been before. I knew it was him straight away, but he never said his name, so I couldn’t prove it. My friends didn’t know. I didn’t tell them. My parents didnâ⠂¬â„¢t notice, it was a busy time at work and they were too wrapped up in their own lives. I became more and more shy, more closed off, and slowly my school work started to suffer.It was like being back at primary school all over again. Luckily, the teachers at my secondary school wouldn’t let it slip so easily. They phoned home and told my parents they thought something was wrong. My parents sat me down and wouldn’t let me leave until I told them what was going on. I didn’t want to, it was like admitting defeat, but finally I showed them the texts. They were horrified. I didn’t want to contact the school, I didn’t want to do anything about it, but they did, and I realise now that it was for my own good.The school sorted it all out; he’s gone from my life now, and I don’t have to speak to him ever again. My friends were shocked when they found out what had been going on. They couldn’t believe I hadn’t told them about it before. What surprised me the most was that they didn’t think I was weak or stupid, and they didn’t change their minds about me; in fact, it made our friendships stronger, because I felt more open with them. I think I would have dealt with it better if I’d told my friends. But it’s in the past now, and I try not to stay on it. My life has moved on.

The Original 13 States of the United States

The Original 13 States of the United States The first 13 states of the United States of America were comprised of the original British colonies established between 17th and 18th centuries. While the first English settlement in North America was the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, established 1607, the permanent 13  colonies were established as follows: The New England Colonies New Hampshire Province, chartered as a British colony in 1679Massachusetts Bay Province chartered as a British colony in1692Rhode Island Colony chartered as a British colony in 1663Connecticut Colony chartered as a British colony in 1662 The Middle Colonies New York Province, chartered as a British colony in 1686New Jersey Province, chartered as a British colony in 1702Pennsylvania Province, a proprietary colony established in 1681Delaware Colony (before 1776, the Lower Counties on the Delaware River), a proprietary colony established in 1664 The Southern Colonies Maryland Province, a proprietary colony established in 1632Virginia Dominion and Colony, a British colony established in 1607Carolina Province, a proprietary colony established 1663Divided Provinces of North and South Carolina, each chartered as British colonies in 1729Georgia Province, a British colony established in 1732 Establishment of the 13 States The 13 states were officially established by the Articles of Confederation, ratified on March 1, 1781. The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states operating alongside a weak central government. Unlike the current power-sharing system of â€Å"federalism,† the Articles of Confederation bestowed most governmental powers to the states. The need for a stronger national government soon became apparent and eventually led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The United States Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789.The original 13 states recognized by the Articles of Confederation were (in chronological order): Delaware (ratified the Constitution on December 7, 1787)Pennsylvania (ratified the Constitution on December 12, 1787)New Jersey (ratified the Constitution on December 18, 1787)Georgia (ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788)Connecticut (ratified the Constitution on January 9, 1788)Massachusetts (ratified the Constitution on February 6, 1788)Maryland (ratified the Constitution on April 28, 1788)South Carolina (ratified the Constitution on May 23, 1788)New Hampshire (ratified the Constitution on June 21, 1788)Virginia (ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788)New York (ratified the Constitution on July 26, 1788)North Carolina (ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789)Rhode Island (ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790) Along with the 13 North American colonies, Great Britain also controlled New World colonies in present-day Canada, the Caribbean, as well as East and West Florida by 1790. Today, the process by which U.S. territories attain full statehood is left largely to the discretion of Congress under Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which states, in part, â€Å"The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   Brief History of the US Colonies While the Spanish were among the first Europeans to settle in the â€Å"New World,† England had by the 1600s established itself as the dominant governing presence along the Atlantic coast of what would become the United States. The first English colony in America was founded in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia. Many of the settlers had come to the New World to escape religious persecution or in hopes of economic gains. In September 1620, the Pilgrims, a group of oppressed religious dissidents from England, boarded their ship, the Mayflower and set sail for the New World. Arriving off the coast of what is now Cape Cod in November 1620, they established a settlement at Plymouth, Massachusetts. After surviving great initial hardships in adjusting to their new homes, colonists in both Virginia and Massachusetts thrived with the well-publicized assistance of nearby Native American tribes. While increasingly large crops of corn kept them fed, tobacco in Virginia provided them with a lucrative source of income. By the early 1700s a growing share of the colonies’ population was comprised of African slaves. By 1770, the population of Britain’s 13 North American colonies had grown to more than 2 million people. By the early 1700s enslaved Africans made up a growing percentage of the colonial population. By 1770, more than 2 million people lived and worked in Great Britains 13 North American colonies. Government in the Colonies On November 11, 1620, before establishing their Plymouth Colony, the Pilgrims drafted the Mayflower Compact, a social contract in which they basically agreed that they would govern themselves. The powerful precedent for self-government set by the Mayflower Compact would be reflected in the system of public town meetings that guided colonial governments across New England. While the 13 colonies were indeed  allowed a high degree of self-government, the British system of mercantilism ensured that the colonies existed purely to benefit the economy of the  mother country. Each colony was allowed to develop its own limited government, which operated under a colonial governor appointed by and answerable to the British Crown. With the exception of the British-appointed governor, the colonists freely elected their own government representatives who were required to administer the English system of â€Å"common law.† Significantly, most decisions of the local colonial governments had to be reviewed and approved by both the colonial governor and the British Crown. A system which would become more cumbersome and contentious as the colonies grew and prospered. By the 1750s, the colonies had started dealing with each other in matters concerning their economic interests, often without consulting the British Crown. This led to a growing feeling of American identity among the colonists who began to demand that the Crown protect their â€Å"Rights as Englishmen,† particularly the right of â€Å"no taxation without representation.† The colonists’ continued and growing grievances with the British government under the rule of King George III would lead to the colonists’ issuance of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the American Revolution, and eventually, the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Today, the American flag prominently displays thirteen horizontal red and white stripes representing the original thirteen colonies.