Iran-contra affair

Iran-contra affair Iran-contra affair, in U.S. history, secret arrangement in the 1980s to provide funds to the Nicaraguan contra rebels from profits gained by selling arms to Iran. The Iran-contra affair was the product of two separate initiatives during the administration of President Ronald Reagan . The first was a commitment to aid the contras who were conducting a guerrilla war against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. The second was to placate moderates within the Iranian government in order to secure the release of American hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon and to influence Iranian foreign policy in a pro-Western direction. Despite the strong opposition of the Reagan administration, the Democratic-controlled Congress enacted legislation, known as the Boland amendments, that prohibited the Defense Dept., the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), or any other government agency from providing military aid to the contras from Dec., 1983, to Sept., 1985. The Reagan administrati on circumvented these limitations by using the National Security Council (NSC), which was not explicitly covered by the law, to supervise covert military aid to the contras. Under Robert McFarlane (1983â€"85) and John Poindexter (1985â€"86) the NSC raised private and foreign funds for the contras. This operation was directed by NSC staffer Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North . McFarlane and North were also the central figures in the plan to secretly ship arms to Iran despite a U.S. trade and arms embargo. In early Nov., 1986, the scandal broke when reports in Lebanese newspapers forced the Reagan administration to disclose the arms deals. Poindexter resigned before the end of the month; North was fired. Select congressional committees held joint hearings, and in Dec., 1986, Lawrence E. Walsh was named as special prosecutor to investigate the affair. Higher administration officials, particularly Reagan, Vice President Bush , and William J. Casey (former director of the CIA, who died in May, 1987), were implicated in some testimony, but the extent of their involvement remained unclear. North said he believed Reagan was largely aware of the secret arrangement, and the independent prosecutor's report (1994) said that Reagan and Bush had some knowledge of the affair or its coverup. Reagan and Bush both claimed to have been uninformed about the details of the affair, and no evidence was found to link them to any crime. A presidential commission was critical of the NSC, while congressional hearings uncovered a web of official deception, mismanagement, and illegality. A number of criminal convictions resulted, including those of McFarlane, North, and Poindexter, but North's and Poindexter's were vacated on appeal because of immunity agreements with the Senate concerning their testimony. Former State Dept. and CIA officials pleaded guilty in 1991 to withholding information about the contra aid from Congress, and Caspar Weinberger, defense secretary under Reagan, was cha rged (1992) with the same offense. In 1992 then-president Bush pardoned Weinberger and other officials who had been indicted or convicted for withholding information on or obstructing investigation of the affair. The Iran-contra affair raised serious questions about the nature and scope of congressional oversight of foreign affairs and the limits of the executive branch. See B. Woodward, Veil (1987); T. Draper, A Very Thin Line (1991). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History

Essay about George Washington Plunkitt of Tammany Hall

George Washington Plunkitt of Tammany Hall Everybody is talkin these days about Tammany men growin rich on graft, but nobody thinks of drawin the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. With this sentence in the first chapter Plunkitt sets the tone for his short treatise on New York City politics while Tammany Hall ran the show. George Washington Plunkitt was a senator in New York during the turn of the 19th Century to the 20th Century. He was very successful in politics, and at one time he held four offices at once and collected salaries from three of them. G. W. Plunkitt held any one (or more offices) in Tammany Hall for over forty years. He was a shady politician who took care of his constituents and his†¦show more content†¦Before civil service reform, elected officials could easily remove anti-Tammany city employees and replace them with Tammany supporters in return for their work during the campaign. This sort of spoils system encouraged young people to get involved with politics and to l ove their country. According to Plunkitt (and he gives many examples) after civil service examinations young men become anarchists or in the worst case one joins the Spanish army and actually fights against the same men he used to support and love. Not only did this spoils system encourage young people, it also helped hold the United States party system together. And that, according to Plunkitt, would all change if supporters were not rewarded with government jobs for their work. However, the Civil Service act of 1883 did more to instigate the merit system in politics than anything else. Plunkitts arguments against the civil service reforms are amusing but his generalities make his argument difficult to believe. One would assume that Plunkitts motivation for attacking civil service was because of his personal motivation not the reasons presented in his Very Plain Talks on Very Practical Politics. Plunkitt clearly was a politician for himself and his supporters, in all he care d very little about the welfare of New York City as a whole. Other than the curse of civil service, Plunkitt also instructed young men on the tactics andShow MoreRelatedThe Views of the Politician George Washington Plunkitt690 Words   |  3 PagesGeorge Washington Plunkitt was a complicated politician from New York in the 1900’s. He had his own questionable way of seeing what’s right and what’s wrong. Plunkitt’s Ideas of right a wrong sometimes seemed to be off. However, some of his ideas about things that needed to be reformed were as true then as they are now. Plunkitt seemed to be a man that knew how to get what he wanted out of people with very little effort. From the perspective of an outsider this could make him hard to trust,Read More Plunkitt of Tammany Hall Essay1541 Words   |  7 PagesPlunkitt of Tammany Hall 1. Honest Graft and Dishonest Graft- When Plunkitt was tipped off about something in the city or someone wanting to built a park or something, he sees the opportunity and he takes it. He buys up the land before they do. When they see that they are going to need the land, he sells it to them at a much higher price than what he paid for it, giving him a nice profit. That is honest graft. Several politicians are accused of stealing dollars from the state’s treasury, thisRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution1518 Words   |  7 Pagesmethods. The Progressive Reformers were a political organization that sought out to set permanent fixes to these conditions and make it possible for the immigrants to be self-sustaining. On the other hand, the political machines, more specifically Tammany Hall of Manhattan, sought to make changes by directly helping the immigrants but not without them having some benefit to their organization. Both political organizations had different responses to the plight that the lower class immigrant workers wereRead MoreThe Period Between Reconstruction And World War I1811 Words   |  8 Pagesvote. Without this participation, there is no way that society can reflect their interests and the whole system of democracy falls apart. Not everyone agreed with Hewitt’s view of intelligence and education as the key factor in government success. Tammany Hall and other political machines obtained and maintained power through what is know as the â€Å"spoils system† whereby they give positions to their supporters in return for their votes and loyalty. The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which required

Racial Discrimination And Its Impacts On Today s Society

Racial discrimination has been a controversial topic throughout US history. The social construction of race influences access to valuable resources in society, as well as categorizes people into a certain â€Å"class† which allows for minimal movement in this so-called social stratification system. Many believe that racism arose from inequalities dating back from the 1600’s. Some believe that the only way to solve the issue is through reparation; however, others think reparation will only threaten America’s pride and nationalism. To look at the controversy surrounding reparation, we can look at the separate views held by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Kevin B Williamson. Ta-Neshi Coates explains that we should acknowledge slavery and its impacts on today’s society, while Kevin B. Williamson explains that it is not necessary to note and the cost of America’s pride is more significant than the cost of acknowledging the effects of slavery. In a speech to the City Club of Cleveland, advocate Ta- Nehisi Coates argues, â€Å"we see policy after policy after policy of plunder† in addressing race relations. He, along with other supporters of reparation, believes that if African-Americans are compensated, inequalities will not exist and blacks can start their lives over with just as much freedom and abilities as whites. Further, in his â€Å"Case for Reparations† Coates highlights multiple instances of racial discrimination throughout history that led to more of a divide among Blacks and Whites. For example,Show MoreRelatedRacial Inequality And Gender Inequality889 Words   |  4 PagesIn today s world discrimination is a racial inequality when it come to different races in the United states. Discrimination has been around for years and have created a social inequality , economic crises and have lowered individuals into a group known as the â€Å" racial minorities â€Å".Racial minorities can be classified as older people , women , immigrants and young men and women. Women from the early 1600’s to today s women have been discriminated against for years. Women have never had the sameRead MoreThe Importance Of Language For Aboriginal People1286 Words   |  6 PagesThe importance of language for Aboriginal people In 1788, when the settlers arrived in Australia, there were about 250 Indigenous languages. These distinct languages had many dialects. Today, there are about 145 languages spoken by Aboriginals, however only 18 languages remain strong in Australia. Language is a sense of identity for the Aboriginal people, is a way to communicate. Language is individual to specific tribes and unique to people and communities. Language is used to pass on cultural knowledgeRead MoreRacism : Racial Discrimination And Injustice1257 Words   |  6 Pagesas racism. For centuries, racism has been a part of society, shaping the way humans view each other, but with the aid of Young Women s Christian Association (YWCA) - Stand Against Racism, racial discrimination and injustice can be eliminated. All across the United States, African Americans are faced with racial prejudice, a negative attitude towards a group of people based on race — not on direct knowledge or experience. This kind of racial prejudice began in the 17th and 18th centuries, whenRead MoreRacial Profiling, An Unjust Act And A Big Problem1452 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to the 11 Facts about Racial Discrimination, â€Å"The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics concluded that an African American male born in 2001 has a 32% chance of going to jail in his lifetime, while a Latino male has a 17% chance, and a white male only has a 6% chance† (11 Facts about Racial Discrimination 1). Racial profiling, or discriminating against a whole group of people based on their race, is an unjust act and a big problem in our society today. Arresting people because of how they lookRead MoreThe Stress on Americas Equality Essay1176 Words   |  5 PagesIn America’s society, equality has always been a reoccu rring issue. All the way from early slavery and the Holocaust to discrimination toward African Americans, females, and now same-sex marriages. As much as our world focuses on becoming equal, each culture deals with it’s own differences. In Michael Jackson’s song, â€Å"Black or White† compared with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ song, â€Å"Same Love,† they each approach the same topic encompassing equality. Songs from completely two different generationsRead MoreRacism Essay852 Words   |  4 Pageshis or her characteristics. Racial separatism is the belief, most of the time based on racism, that different races should remain separate and apart from one another.Racism has existed throughout human history. It may be described as the hatred of one person or by one another. It is the belief that another person is less than human due to the color of skin, language, and place of birth. It has influenced our society today. Around the mid 1950’s to late 1960’s the civil rights movement hadRead MoreRacial Discrimination : Racism And Discrimination1244 Words   |  5 PagesRacial discrimination has been an ugly face lingering around for generations. It baffles me how it still exists today. It’s interesting to me because how do you know who to discriminate against. What type of individual will promote such distasteful thoughts? Why is racial discrimination still relevant? I guess the real question will be is how to overcome racial discrimination. The beginning of racial discrimination stems from when the European settlers landed in America and conquered the NativeRead MoreRacial Discrimination in Canadas Workplace1620 Words   |  7 PagesRacial discrimination in the workplace has been a persistent theme in Canada’s history as well as present-day times. The occurrence of actions and attitudes that impose a sense of one being less equal than another on the basis of one’s race in Canada’s workplace inhibits both our nation’s ability to move forward as well as strengthen unification within our country. The belief in a more egalitarian society, where one’s race and ethnic background have little to no impact on employees (or potentialRead MoreRacial Discrimination : The Blacker The Berry1638 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Racial Discrimination is dreadful. It’s a social conflict against those who are a slightly different based on appearance. It has indeed become a well-known issue, which has created problems throughout the world. This issue is so distributing that it has incredibility-impacted society, especially influenced artists to incorporate the current issue into their songs. For instance, artists like Kendrick Lamar have expressed the issue of racial discrimination. In his song â€Å"The Blacker theRead MoreAddress Racial Inequalities : Past And Present1247 Words   |  5 Pagesaddress Racial Inequalities: Past and Present Introduction It is no secret that racial inequalities exist today and have for many years now. They have existed at many levels including institutional, collective, and personal. In this paper, I plan to show how previous policies created these inequalities, and explain how we can address these issues at all levels. I will also show which policies have had an impact on minorities in contributing to greater equality. For racial inequality

Vietnam Challenges in Development Free Essays

â€Å"What are the major obstacles in your country’s development to achieve long-term and sustainable growth and in addressing such obstacles what public policies need to be put in place, particularly in relation to national technology and innovation capability? † Vietnam’s reform process named Doi Moi (Renovation) since 1986 witnessed success of market-oriented changes. Not only has Vietnam been one of the world’s fastest growing economies (averaging over 7 per cent p. a. We will write a custom essay sample on Vietnam Challenges in Development or any similar topic only for you Order Now GDP growth), it has made great strides towards eliminating poverty, achieved national food security and become a major exporter of agricultural commodities. However, the process of shifting from agricultural dominance to industrial dominance has also created number of negatives effects for the country that public policies should be put in place to address. Three main obstacles, which Vietnam has to face up with, are those issues of growth, society and environment: Firstly, the country’s economic growth primarily is factor-based and quantity-based while knowledge-based development accounts for minimal proportion. The growth made by input capitals (foreign investment, natural resources) makes the results do not deserve with investment. IMF experts make a comparison of Vietnam case with Thailand and Philippine in the past 2 decades, when two country experienced same position as Vietnam currently, 30-40% total revenue of the nation created 12% growth rate, while Vietnam’s investment up to 60% of total revenue but growth rate is only 6-7%/year. It’s the time to pay attention on economic effectiveness rather than just targets setting. Secondly, economic growth in short time has lead to series of social issues. Inequality and the gap between rich and poor, rural and urban, plains and mountainous areas has been widened not only in terms of income but also living standards and chances. The rapid growth of urban economy and industry has not been linked harmoniously with rural economy and society. While many new jobs continue to withdraw young labors from the rural, they also worsen the unbalance of rural family life, gender and age. More jobs are created but unsecured, life in industrial zone or city suburban with rental house, low-income and manual job can not secure a future. The rest of people stay with agriculture, however, the growth of and is being contracted, constraining the application of hi-technologies; farming syste agricultural production (so far mainly relying on in labor and natural resources – intensive investment) has no longer enjoyed favorable conditions. Agricultural land is scattered m is still based on habitant and qualitative; products are low competitiveness. Thirdly, environment is damaged seriously. Pollution is increasing, urban and industry waste is poured to the rural. Some natural resources are over exploited for exports purpose without planning. Fossil fuel is the main source for the economy, technology to create alternative energy is slowly applied. In addition, the happening of epidemic, climate changes is becoming complex. Long term policy to adapt with climate change is still in the beginning stage of formulation while the country have to struggle with day to day disasters. In order to addressing those obstacles, new strategic orientation should be identified; main approaches of public policy in the new period are as follows: Distribute equally the growth results. Remove all barriers and create favorable conditions for the development of resource markets in the rural (labor, land, capital and science and technology) so that the market mechanism and internal capacity of rural people can be mobilized to regulate effectively all available resources; mobilize abundant rural labor resource, urban savings, and international capital to upgrade rural infrastructure and develop rural services and crafts (including industry and non-agriculture activities in the rural); move the urban and industry to rural areas, export and take rural labors to the urban. Focus investment on education to improve the human resource capability through appropriate vocational training policy; develop health care system in the rural, especially in difficult and poor areas; stimulate economic sectors to provide services in the urban and favorable areas; gradually, narrow the gaps of service quality between the rural and the urban. Stimulate all economic sectors to participate in the development and application of science and technology to create higher quality products. The State should concentrate its investment in science and technology applied for public services in agriculture, extension, in difficult and poor areas Identify clearly necessary criteria and areas for economic-environment balance; ensure the sustainable social and environmental development; actively make harmoniously economic, social and environmental planning In conclusion, entering new development phase, Vietnam’s development course requires new policy solutions to change investment direction into knowledge-base, mobilize hidden resources, create motivation for a large number of people to achieve a long-term and sustainable growth in which national technology and innovation capability enhancement play an crucial role. How to cite Vietnam Challenges in Development, Papers

Rip Van Winkle A Story Thats Simple But Complex Essays -

Rip Van Winkle A Story Thats Simple But Complex Rip Van WinkleA Story Thats Simple But Complex Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving has been a well known story told throughout time. As a child, there is no doubt you have heard a famous tale by Washington Irving about a carefree man who slept for 20 years. Like many stories, Irving's "Rip Van Winkle" has been told so many times throughout American history that it has lost its original purpose. The story is now remembered for its fairy tale like quality and its appeal to the children and the young at heart. However, when read more closely, one may discover how irony played a hand in Irvings character which enhanced the creativity of Rip Van Winkle. Throughout the story, the most prominent situational irony that could be seen is the outcome of the beverage drinking. Actually irony is one of the main principles in Washington Irving's stories. His irony is light and kind, it is closer to humor than to sarcasm or satire. Humor is a particular tool used in order to create a comic effect; it suggests a good natured laugh at a man or an event. Nicholas Vedder, a landlord of the inn, who was considered to be a patriarch of the village because he always smokes a pipe and never uttered a word. He even had adherents who would observe him attentively and understand, by the way he was smoking his pipe, whether he approved of the situation or not. When anything that was read or related displeased him, he was observed to smoke his pipe vehemently, and to send forth short, frequent and angry puffs; but when pleased, he would inhale he smoke slowly and tranquilly Here we could see the gap between the reality and the words, which creates a humor ous situation. With this kind of comical humor in the story, it contradicts to the resulted scenes after twenty years. After Mr. Winkle returned to town, his house was described as empty, forlorn and apparently abandoned continued by he called loudly for his wife and childrenthe lonely chambers rang for a moment with his voice, and then all again was silence. Comparing to the previous fantasized setting, the new atmosphere is dimmed and gloomy. Irving created a dramatic change between twenty years before and after. Although various types of situational ironies could be found, there is also a verbal irony that contradicts. The original full title of the story was supposed to be called Rip Van Winkle, a Posthumous Writing of Diedrich Knickerbocker. Irving starts with a verbal irony; a story is called "a posthumous writing". But a posthumous writing cannot exist, there can be only a posthumous publishing. Because no one could write books after hes in the grave. So, there is a paradox, a gap between the words and the reality. This adds suspense and fantasy, and draws the readers attention to the story. Rip Van Winkle', demonstrates Irving's versatile talent. The author appears to be not only a keen word-lover but also a gifted ironist, who uses all the possible literature devices to create the atmosphere full of joie de vivre in his witty and light romantic stories. Although he passed away, his classic tales will always be remembered and long live through American literature.

International Finance Trend of Exchange Rate

International Finance Trend of Exchange Rate Trend of exchange rate over time The graph presented below shows the trend of the weekly exchange rate of the Turkish Lira and Thai Baht against the US dollar for a period of five years that is, between 2008 and 2013.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on International Finance: Trend of Exchange Rate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on the graph above, it can be observed that the exchange rate of Turkish Lira was higher than the exchange rate of Thai Baht over the five-year period. The range of exchange rate for the Turkish Lira was between 0.5 and 0.8 while the exchange rate for the Thai Baht against the US dollar was below 0.1 throughout the period. Secondly, it can be observed that the exchange rate for the Turkish Lira against the US dollar fluctuated during the period. There was a slight appreciation in the exchange rate between 2008 and 2009. This indicates that the economy of the country grew strong duri ng the period. Thereafter, the exchange rate depreciated by a small margin between 2009 and 2011. This was caused by the global financial crisis. Between 2012 and 2013, there was an appreciation of the exchange rate. This indicates that the economy recovered from the financial crisis. The country heavily relies on international trade as a key source of income. Therefore, fluctuations in the value of the exchange rate are as a result of market changes. It indicates that the country operates a flexible exchange rate regime. On the other hand, it can be observed the exchange rate for the Thai Baht against the US dollar was fairly constant throughout the period. The value depreciated slightly from values ranging between 0.02 and 0.03. It indicates that the country operates a managed exchange rate regime. Bid and ask price The graph presented below shows the bid-ask spread expressed as percentages for the weekly exchange rate of the Turkish Lira and Thai Baht against the US dollar for a period of five years. Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The graph presented above indicates that the percentage of the bid-ask spread for the exchange rate of the Thai Baht against the US dollar was higher than the percentage spread for the Turkish Lira against the US dollar for between part of the five-year period. The bid-ask spread for the exchange rate of the Thai Baht against the US dollar was quite high in 2008. However, by the end of the 2008, the spread declined significantly. It remained fairly stationary between 2009 and 2011. However, in 2012, the company experienced a decline in the value of percentage spread. The high percentage spread can be attributed to a number of factors. The key factor is the perceived risk and political instability in the country. Volatility in the economic conditions in the country also explains the high value of the bid-as k spread. On the other hand, the percentage bid-ask spread for the exchange rate of the Turkish Lira against the US dollar escalated in early 2009. This can be attributed to the global crisis. Thereafter, the spread remained quite low and stable. The lower bid-ask spread is as a result of a large volume of shares traded (OANDA Corporation 1). Cross rates The graph presented below shows the trend of the spot exchange rate of Turkish Lira against the Thai Baht for the five-year period. The graph above indicates that there was a gradual decline in the value of the cross exchange rate during the five-year period. Besides, it can be observed that the graph of actual exchange rate is superimposed on the graph of cross rates calculated. It implies that the calculated cross rate is similar to the actual rate extracted (OANDA Corporation 1). OANDA Corporation 2013, Historical Exchange Rate. Web. https://www1.oanda.com/fx-for-business/historical-rates.Advertising We will write a cus tom assessment sample on International Finance: Trend of Exchange Rate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Powell Surname Meaning and Family History

Powell Surname Meaning and Family History The Powell surname typically originated as a contraction of the Welsh Ap Howell, meaning son of Howell. The given name Howell is an anglicized form of Hywel, meaning eminent in Welsh. Due to the system of Welsh patronymics, many individuals living today who use the Powell surname originally descended down that line from a family that may have used a different surname. Surname Origin: Welsh Alternate Surname Spellings:  POWEL, POUEL, POWELLS, PAUWEL, PAUWELS, POWELS Famous People with the Powell  Surname Colin Powell - American diplomat and military leader;  the first African American appointed as the U.S. Secretary of StateWilliam Powell  -  William Powell was a baritone-voiced actor remembered for playing Nick Charles in The Thin Man films.Adam Clayton Powell Jr.  -  20th century clergyman and U.S. representative; civil rights activistJohn Wesley Powell - American scientist, soldier and explorer;  credited with leading the first group of white men down the Colorado River through the Grand CanyonEnoch Powell -  British politician, classical scholar, linguist, and poet Where Is the Powell Surname Most Common? The Powell surname, according to surname distribution information from Forebears, is the 1,441st most common surname in the world. It is most common today in Wales, where it ranks as the 23rd most frequent surname. It is also among the top 100 surnames in England (88th), the United States (91st) and Jamaica (32nd). Powell is a common last name throughout Wales, but especially in the southern regions such as around Glamorganshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire. WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates the Powell surname is especially frequent in Wales and western England, particularly Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Powell Powell Surname DNA ProjectOver 470 members have joined this Y-DNA project to work together to use DNA testing along with traditional genealogy research to help determine Powell origins and distinguish between various Powell lines. Powell  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Powell  family crest or coat of arms for the Powell surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Powell Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Powell  ancestors around the world. Search the forum for posts about your Powell ancestors, or join the forum and post your own queries. Since Powell is an old Welsh surname, you may also wish to consider joining the Welsh Patronymics DNA Project. FamilySearch - Powell GenealogyExplore over 4 million  results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Powell surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Powell Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Powell  surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. GeneaNet - Powell  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Powell  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Powell  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Powell  surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- Source Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.