Business Public Relations and Press Release Free Essays

The website is http://www.jpmorganchase.com/corporate/About-JPMC/about-us. We will write a custom essay sample on Business: Public Relations and Press Release or any similar topic only for you Order Now htm. The sender is JPMorgan Chase’s public relations and communications department. Looking at the variety and richness of messages heralding the successes and profitability of the bank, it is obvious that the message is intended for a variety of stakeholders like investors, potential investors, shareholders, customers and potential customers, employees and even its competitors. Analyze the integrated business communication. Integrated business communication is defined as â€Å"†¦the process of planning, executing and evaluating unified messages that create stakeholder relationships and build brand recognition.† (Stuart, Sarow, and Stuart, 2007,p.14) The press release section uses information from public relations, management, organizational changes, marketing and incorporate these into a series of dynamic message that paints a picture of the company as a whole making it possible for stake holders to form a comprehensively positive image of the company. For example, if one looks at the press release of April 25th of 2013, one realizes it heralds through its title â€Å"Chase Ranks #1 in Mobile Banking Functionality† a technological milestone that not only places the company ahead of its competitors, but also entices prospective customers who might see this as a plus. In this particular press release,  many stakeholders are targeted at the same time. In another press release dated April 17th 2013 titled â€Å"100.000 Jobs mission Announces 64,628 U. S Veterans hired Through First Quarter2013†, the company uses public relations technique to announce its position as an outstanding responsible corporate citizen through offering employment to a target under-privileged group. This particular release serves also as a public relationship announcement to prospective veterans that employment is done on the spot. This is an image building and publicity stunt that also targets a wide variety of stakeholders. Assess the media richness of the section. To achieve its communication strategy, the company uses both audio and video presentations, emails, news feeds, downloadable data and links to other pertinent information that may be important sources of enrichment to its readers or stakeholders. Of particular interest is its use of webcasts and live feeds or reproduced information that can be viewed live or at the stakeholders’ convenience by way of archived presentations. Describe how the message is framed. Framing according to Robert Entman is â€Å"selecting, and highlighting some facets of events or issues, and making connections among them so as to promote a particular interpretation, evaluation and /or solution†, (Stuart, Sarow, and Stuart, 2007,p.18). This is exemplified in the very setup of the website and the various breakdown of the message into sections, topics, dates in a coherent and easily accessible way through internet access and other communication tools. For example, the topics are arranged beginning with investor relations, financial information, CIO reports, annual report and proxy, shareholder presentations, corporate responsibility to feedback link in frequently asked questions. A cursory look at the table of contents shows that there is a deliberate attempt at presenting a unified message about the company to its stakeholders that paints a bright light, vision and growth with special attention to the shareholders. Identify opinion leaders. Opinion leaders that are targeted by the communication are shareholders, prospective employees, employees, customers, prospective customers, government regulators, generally known as stakeholders. Make recommendations  for improving word choice. The choice of words while technically appropriate to its audience, may be confusing to the rank and file customer and investor who may not understand the use of technical words. This is seen in the earnings reports, and other communiquà ©s in the website. I would also recommend that concrete words be used to avoid ambiguity. A more simple but concise language devoid of ambiguity, double meaning laden with cramped up facts and data is recommended considering the targeted audience and general public to whom the message is addressed. How to cite Business: Public Relations and Press Release, Papers

Immigration Persuasive Essay Example For Students

Immigration Persuasive Essay For many immigration to the United States would be a new beginning during 19th to early 20th century. There were many acts and laws to limit the number immigrating to the United States. Many of these acts were due to prejudice and misunderstanding of a culture. One such act was the Chinese Exclusion Act. Form this one act many immigration laws and acts were made against foreigners. They hoped to control the number of immigrants arriving on the American shores. The Chinese Exclusion Act of May 6, 1882 was just the beginning. This act was the turning point of the U.S. immigration policies, although it only directly affected a small group of people. Prior to the Chinese Exclusion Act there was no significant number of free immigrants that had been barred from the country. Once the Chinese Exclusion Act had been in acted, further limitations on the immigration of ethnic groups became standard procedure for more than eight decades. Irish catholic, Mexican, and other races were not allowed the same freedoms that others were allowed. Even after a family had been here for generations there were not given the same freedoms. Since the arrival of the first Chinese Immigrants, racist hostility towards the Chinese always existed. They were predominantly male laborers, concentrated in California. They were vital to the development of western mining, transportation, and agriculture. Other races were also discriminated against, the Irish were not allowed to get jobs or live in certain areas of the cities. By 1880, the great fear of German-speaking and Irish-Catholic immigrants was over. Employers, who still sought worker-immigrants, and not just temporary workers, looked increasingly to southern and eastern Europe. When Italians, Greeks, Turks, Russians, Slavs, and Jews arrived in the United States in numbers, however, new anxieties arose about making Americans of so many different kinds of strangers. An 1880 this act gave the United States the one sided right to mandate to limit or even stop the immigration of Chinese laborers. In effect canceling the right of the Chinese to enter the country. Congress quickly complied and made a ten-year bill that the President signed on May 6, 1882. While exempting teachers, students, merchants, and tourists the Act suspended immigration of Chinese laborers for ten years. The law was renewed for a second ten-year period in 1892 and then made quot;permanentquot; in 1902. Chinese Exclusion Act had set a pattern for many other immigration laws and acts to come. The Immigration Act of March 3, 1891 was the first comprehensive law for national control of immigration. It established the Bureau of Immigration under the Treasury Department to administer all immigration laws (except the Chinese Exclusion Act). This Immigration Act also added to the inadmissible classes. The people in these classes were inadmissible to enter into the United States. The people in these classes were, those suffering from a contagious disease, and persons convicted of certain crimes. The Immigration Act of March 3, 1903 and The Immigration Act of February 20, 1907 added further categories to the inadmissible list. Immigrants were screened for their political beliefs. Immigrants who were believed to be anarchists or those who advocated the overthrow of government by force or the assassination of a public officer was deported. This act was made mainly do to the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901. On February 5, 1917 another immigration act was made. This Act categorized all previous exclusion provisions and added the exclusion of illiterate aliens form entering into the United States. This Act made Mexicans inadmissible. It insisted that all aliens pay a head tax of $8 dollars. However, because of the high demand for labor in the southwest, months later congress let Mexican workers to stay in the U.S. under supervision of state government for six-month periods. .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 , .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .postImageUrl , .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 , .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5:hover , .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5:visited , .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5:active { border:0!important; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5:active , .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5 .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubbca9cbce4b3fa40debed9346a7415c5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Solar Energy Essay The Gold Rush in California brought a large influx of Chinese laborers and was ended abruptly by the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. In between this time Thousands of Chinese immigrated or traveled freely from China and San Francisco. They were mostly young male peasants that left their villages to become contract laborers in the American West. They were recruited to extract minerals and metals, construct a vast railroad network, reclaim swamplands, build irrigation systems, work as migrant agricultural laborers, develop the fishing industry, and operate highly competitive, labor-intensive manufacturing industries in the Western States. These Chinese Americans did not mix with other Americans they began their own cities such as Chinatown in San Francisco were Chinese worked, shopped and owned business. After 1882, only diplomats, merchants, and students and their dependents were allowed to travel between the U.S. and China. Before the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the patterns of Chinese settlement followed the patterns of economic development of the western states. Since mining and railway construction dominated the western economy, Chinese immigrants settled mostly in California and states west of the Rocky Mountains. As these industries declined and ant-Chinese feelings intensified, the Chinese retreated and sometimes were forced by society into small import-export businesses, labor-intensive manufacturing and service industries in such rising cities as San Francisco, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and sometimes in the Deep South. Although many sought the American Dream due to racial prejudice and bias many did not get to become part of society. They were forced to live in poverty working for low wages and never making it ahead. Many were forced in to low paying jobs in unsafe conditions. Many did not survive to see their children grown.

Analysis Essay about the Marketing Processes and Theories free essay sample

This analysis is about the marketing processes and theories within an international context, from my own experiences as a consumer and marketing student in the international context. This is about the â€Å"outside in† looking at a context, and analyzing the key market and competitive factors. At last, the identification of one local organization that operates in that market context and provides an evaluation of their marketing strategiesTherefore, it is about the contextual background that represents the national or regional context of the analysis and the geographical, social, cultural, religious and other environmental and contextual factors.I choose one of the biggest and oldest companies of my country India, THE TATA GROUP OF COMPANIES. It is an Indian multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Tata and gained international recognition after purchasing several global companies. It is one of Indias largest conglomerates and is owned by Tata Sons, a charity registered with the Charity commissioner in India. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis Essay about the Marketing Processes and Theories or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Tata group’s global footprint spans more than 100 countries in six continents The Tata group comprises over a 100 operating companies spread across six continents.CONTEXTUALIZATIONTata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Tata and gained international recognition after purchasing several global companies. It is one of Indias largest conglomerates and is owned by Tata Sons, a charity registered with the Charity commissioner in India.Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own board of directors and shareholders.According to TATA GROUP (2017) There are 30 publicly listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalization of about $145 billion as of November 2017. Tata companies with significant scale include Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Teleservices, Titan, Tata Communications and Taj Hotels.

Definition and Illustrations of Example in Writing

Definition and Illustrations of Example in Writing In composition, example (or exemplification) is a  method of paragraph or essay development by which a writer clarifies, explains, or justifies a point through narrative or informative details. The best way to reveal a problem, phenomenon, or social circumstance, says William Ruehlmann, is to illustrate it with a single, specific instance. (Stalking the Feature Story, 1978). The etymology comes from the Latin, to take out. Examples and Observations I argue that there is a sense of belonging, a sense of national/cultural identity that differentiates one people from others. Let me look at Vietnamese students studying in Australia as an example. . . .(Le Ha Phan, Teaching English as an International Language: Identity, Resistance, and Negotiation. Multilingual Matters, 2008)Illustrations affected me more strongly  than reality; a picture of falling snow, for example, whether in black-and-white line drawing or blurry four-color reproduction, moves me more than any actual storm.(John Updike,  Self-Consciousness, 1989)Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.(Dave Barry)There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance, is a very slight interference.(Henry David Thoreau, Paradise (to Be) Regained. Democ ratic Review, Nov. 1843) Before long I came to regard all kinds of activities - asking for more toast in a hotel, buying wool-rich socks at Marks Spencer, getting two pairs of pants when I really needed only one - as something daring, very nearly illicit. My life became immensely richer.(Bill Bryson, Notes From a Small Island. Doubleday, 1995)ensure that you use specific and relevant examples;include multiple examples to make your point; andprovide an effective argument Functions and MethodsBecause examples are so important for clarification, adding interest, and persuasion, writers rely on them all the time, even when they use other patterns of development. Thus, you will see examples in essays developed largely with cause-and-effect analysis, process analysis, comparison-contrast, and other patterns or combinations of patterns. Say, for instance, that you are using cause-and-effect analysis to explain why sexually active teenagers often do not use birth control. Once you note that teenagers may not always understand when and how pregnancy can occur, you can illustrate with an example you read of a 15-year-old who became pregnant because she thought she was safe since it was her first sexual experience.Regardless of your purpose for using exemplification, your examples will support, clarify, or explain a generalization, which is a statement of something that is typically true in your own life or in a broader context.(Barbara Fine Clouse, Patterns f or a Purpose. McGraw-Hill, 2003)Whether example is a supporting mode or the dominant technique, you need to(W.J. Kelly, Strategy and Structure. Allyn Bacon, 1999) Examples of SuperstitionsMany superstitions are so widespread and so old that they must have risen from a depth of the human mind that is indifferent to race or creed. Orthodox Jews place a charm on their door-posts; so do (or did) the Chinese. Some peoples of Middle Europe believe that when a man sneezes, his soul, for that moment, is absent from his body, and they hasten to bless him, lest the soul should be seized by the Devil. How did the Melanesians come by the same idea? Superstition seems to have a link with somebody of belief that far antedates the religions we know - religions which have no place for such comforting little ceremonies and charities.(Robertson Davies, A Few Kind Words for Superstition. Newsweek, Nov. 20, 1978) MementosIn the small, shabby apartment there were mementos of other places, other things. There was, for example, a childs day bed folded up in a corner of the living room. Toys - if you opened the closet door too quickly - fell on your head. Tiny scuffed white shoes were still hiding - one of them, anyhow - under the headboard of the bed. Small worn dresses, ripped, faded or in good repair, hung on nails in a small back room.(Alice Walker, Meridian. Harcourt Brace, 1976) Memories of Autumn in EnglandSoon it will be the endless evenings, fraught with old, thin memories of Bovril and Sooty, wet streets, lighting-up time, tentative girlfriends gone away to university, beer and colds, waiting outside Halfords for the number 29 bus, melancholy nights with headlights making patterns on the bedroom wall. Autumn is a Sunday evening indefinitely expended. It is the season of the provinces, bedsits in Sheffield, Cardiff sea-mists, raincoats and station platforms, desolation and loss.(Michael Bywater, The Chronicles of Bargepole. Jonathan Cape, 1992) The Lighter Side of ExamplesIt is an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.(Douglas Adams, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Pan, 1979)

A quel point la perscution des minorits refltait-elle la volont des Essay - 1

A quel point la perscution des minorits refltait-elle la volont des forces doccupation et quel point refltait-elle des tendances au sein de la socit franaise elle-mme - Essay Example t de la droite politique blà ¢mà © [certains politiciens] pour la « excà ¨s  »de Vichy ».1 Pendant ce temps, Vichy a luttà © pour maintenir son appel mà ©tropolitaines, mais il a à ©tà © aux prises avec les problà ¨mes sociaux qui ont de persà ©cuter un segment de la socià ©tà © franà §aise. La zone non occupà ©e de la [France] et lassistance nà ©cessaires administration à ©conomique.2 Il y avait des problà ¨mes majeurs. Les deux Franà §ais et Britanniques ont combattu pour lindà ©pendance de la France. "Dans la campagne de 1940 les Franà §ais se sont battus courageusement, mais ... [l]es Britanniques ont combattu beaucoup plus obstinà ©ment ... ».3 Pour donner un peu de contexte, lAllemagne avait acquis une partie de la France qui a à ©tà © envahie par les gens.  «En occupant la moitià © nord du pays et toute la cà ´te Atlantique, lAllemagne sest approprià © le partie la plus riche et le plus peuplà © de la France mà ©tropolitaine ».4 En raison de loppression de son peuple, la rà ©putation de Vichy est à   jamais ternie. "Lhistoire de Vichy, en cette epoque, abonde en pareils trompe-lÅ“il ».5 À la dà ©fense du peuple juif, les combats ont à   lEst. "Par consà ©quent, au cours de la plupart des annà ©es de combats sur le front de lEst (oà ¹ la majeure partie de larmà ©e allemande a à ©tà © engagà ©), les conditions sont devenues de plus en plus semblables à   celles sur le front occidental dans la Premià ¨re Guerre mondiale ».6 Il semblait que beaucoup de gens mà ©prisaient les Juifs, cà ©tait un sentiment populaire et à   la mode dà ©pouser à   là ©poque. "Mà ªme aprà ¨s la guerre, Xavier Vallat revendiquà ©e, avec quelque raison, que lanti-sà ©mitisme de Vichy avait rà ©flà ©chi volontà © populaire. Dans les registres tenus par ladministration franà §aise au cours de 1940-1944 il ya des signes à ©vidents de lantipathie populaire pour les Juifs, en particulier pour les rà © fugià ©s juifs à ©trangers ... ... rà ©pandre sur les Juifs dorigine franà §aise ainsi  ».7 Pendant ce temps, le cerveau se cache derrià ¨re la

Sharon Construction Corporation - Case Analysis Essay

Sharon Construction Corporation - Case Analysis - Essay Example The project has been outlined to run for 48weeks with an allowance of 4weeks in case any problems arise. However the company is faced with some unusual problems. There is the prospect of a workers strike to begin on 30th November that will run for eight to twelve weeks on a probability estimate of 70:30 of the period the strike will last. The cold season starting in December presents another major challenge for this project. The concrete cannot be poured during this month therefore amounting to delays. To overcome these problems, suggestions have been put forth that are likely to add to the costs of the whole project or otherwise delay the process till January, when the weather is favorable. Any week delayed will amount to an overhead cost of $500 and any special heating required during concrete pouring will cost up to $500 depending on the temperature conditions. Possible problems An analysis of the project shows that delay issues will cost the company $15,000 per week. The workerâ €™s strike is one of the cited problems likely to set back the company on the time line given. The strike has a fifty: fifty chance of occurring hence cannot be ignored. Furthermore it is likely to last for eight to twelve weeks. ... The pouring of seats process is scheduled in December. The weather has been predicted to be cold and thus may amount to extra costs of $500 per week to bring in a heat system. However, this stage runs for two weeks therefore it can be delayed until the cold weather clears. The work can then be resumed since it is in the final stages of the project. The delay would amount to four weeks delay of $60,000 plus overhead costs of $2000 if the month of December is scrapped in this schedule. Major Problem The major problem posed by this project is the delay issue. The cost amounting from any delay have been analysed by each problem cited. Nonetheless it is important to note that the two problems are highly likely to occur at the same period of time. They are anticipated to begin in December. The weather issues can be resolved but the labourers strike issue has to be resolved. Processes like concrete pouring cannot be highly affected as it takes ample time to dry. The analysis of the project shows the process that require a great amount of labour hence the company can take advantage. It is important to shorten the period of work before December sets in. This can be achieved by adding the number of labourers for work that is labour intensive or expedite the process with highly equipped machinery. The project has to be cut back by at least six to eight weeks in order to sustain the goals of completion on time and/or earn projected profits. Analysis of proposals 1. The first proposal is to expedite pouring of seat galleries at an extra cost of $20,000 and reduce the duration of this activity by six weeks. This is worthwhile since it is in the goal of buying more time for the whole project. 2. Deploying a double shift for field filling will buy five weeks period at an

Knights Templar

Knights Templar Knights Templar â€Å"The Knights Templar was a religious military order that arose during the first and second crusades and their secrets and wealth destroyed the organization† (Campbell 29-33). The Knights Templar started out as a small group of monks and eventually grew to become a powerful religious order. Members had duties and certain lifestyles as a Templar. The order rapidly spread across Europe after it began. The Templar would become one of the most innovative and influential groups during the Crusades period (â€Å"Templars†). The Knights Templar is shrouded in secrecy; this would be their downfall and their biggest calling card. The original name or the full name for the Knights Templar can be quite a mouth full â€Å"[t]he Holy Order of the Poor Knights of Christ and the Temple of Solomon is the full name of the Order†(Campbell 29-33). Most paraphernalia refer to them as the Knights Templar. Some call the members just Templar, or warrior monks. The Poor Fellow Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon is another name used (Campbell 29-33). People back in the time of the crusade would have called them heroes. After the first crusade, two new military orders came about in Jerusalem (Read 17-24). One, the Knights Hospitallers, or Knights of Saint John, whose task was to aid the wounded in Outremer, or the land across the sea (Read 17-24). The second military order to arise was the Knights Templar, whose duty was to defend the pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land (Campbell 29-33). In 1118, before the start of the Order, Hugues de Payan and eight fellow knights went to Jerusalem and offered their se rvices to the king. The king offered housing to the knights at the former mosque al-Aqsa, which was located on the site of King Solomons great temple (Hughes 34). The Order was born here and received its name from the temple it was protecting. The Knights Templar took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The religious order was created at the Temple of Solomon and swore to protect the Holy Land (Campbell 29-33). Hughes states in his book that â€Å"[t]he Templar fought bravely against the Saracens, not leaving battle unless outnumbered three to one† (34). The order received the blessing of the Pope in 1129, and the Templar soon got recognition as heroes. With the Popes blessing, the Templar could now recruit members and raise money through donations. Donations came to the Templar in large amounts. The warrior monks were given wealth, jewels, and property (Hughes 34). King Alfonso I of Argon gave the Templar one-third of his Spanish Empire on his deathbed (Read 17-24). They owned land in France, Spain, England, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, and other places. Men also went to the Templar to support their cause, and some in hopes of getting rich. The Knights Templar did have their critics though (Sterns 84-111). The Templar owned houses all across the map, and they used that to their benefit. The Knights Templar became the first bankers in a way. Travelers would deposit money at one Templar building, and travel, with a statement of deposit, to another city (Knight, and Lomas 121). They would then cash in their statement and receive the same amount of money at another Templar structure at their final destination. This was a very safe method, because the traveler could not be robbed. The Templar began to escort travelers on their fleets of ships, charging a fee for both services. That allowed them to take in a large sum of money (Knight, and Lomas 121). The Order was so beloved by the Christian people that the Pope freed the Templar from loyalty to any ruler. From then on the order only answered to the Pope. The Templar later became involved with politics. They served on royal committees and councils. The duties of a Templar split among the regions (Hughes 17). In the east, they remained fier ce warriors defending Christianity, and in the west, they became farmers and merchants. The order was rapidly gaining wealth and riches (Campbell 29-33). During the second crusade, the Templar fought for the Christian effort. They were among some of the highest skilled fighters during this time. Indrikis Sterns quotes a 13th century author by saying†[t]hey are marked by their trademark white helmets and armor, which bears a red cross† (84-111). During the second crusade, the knights became very powerful and wealthy due to payments for their services from several empires. This excluded King Phillip IV of France. He was greatly in debt with the order, owing them large sums of land and money (Hughes 17). The King was worried about his debts to this powerful and influential order. Phillip IV called upon Pope Clement V to put all the members of the order on trial for heresy and other crimes committed. The Pope found no fault in the Order under the trials of heresy but did find fault in their initiation ceremonies. The Pope had them burned at the steak for unspeakable acts against the church (Sterns 84-111). The Knights Templar were said to spit upon a cross before battle and kiss their leaders to show complete obedience to them. The order was not destroyed, but badly crippled. The Knights Templar was hidden in darkness and secrecy, and they will always remain a mystery. This is believed to have led to their downfall. The Knights Templar was said to possess a great secret (Hughes 17). This secret may have been practical knowledge, which if revealed could undermine Christianity or some people believe that the Templar had some great relic. â€Å"Possibly, a piece of the true cross or the crown of thorns worn by Jesus was in their possession† according to Campbell (29-33). The shroud which Jesus was wrapped in his tomb, a piece of wood from a bath used by Jesus, a bronze bowl used to wash the feet of the disciples at the last supper or the head of John the Baptist are all rumored (Hughes 34). The Holy Grail used in the last supper is the most famous of all the relics thought to be owned by the Templar (Knight, and Lomas 121). It is truly unknown whether the Templar had any of these artifacts. Maybe they had one, or two, possibly all, but nobody can be certain. With the amount of land and money that the Templar had, and the possible possessions of great relics, specifically the Holy Grail, people were bound to envy the order (Knight, and Lomas 121). Some people also say that the Knights Templar and their relics live on under the Freemasons. The Masons are said to use many of the same symbols and rituals of the Knights Templar. Things do not help the cause when the Freemasons are also just a shrouded into secrecy as the Knights Templar (Knight, and Lomas 121). Whether the Order lives on or not is a question to be left answered by the opinions of us all. A person may believe all the tales or that the Freemasons, the makers of our country are members of the Order. One may also believe that the entire story of the Knights Templar and the later Freemasons is a complete hoax. However, what would history be without mystery and intrigue? Works Cited Campbell, G.A.Knights Templar: The Rise and Fall. San Francisco: Kessinger Publishing, 2004. 29-33. Print. Hughes, Charles. â€Å"How The Vatican Destroyed the Knights Templar.†Independent26 October 2007: 34. Print. Knight, Christopher, and Robert Lomas.The Hiram Key. Sacremento: Fair Winds Press, 2003. 121. Print. Read, Pierce.The Templars. 1. New York: MacMillan, 1999. 17. Print. Sterns, Indrikis.Crime and Punishment among the Teutonic Knights. 1. 57. New York: Medieval Academy of America, 1982. 84-111. Print. â€Å"Templars.† Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Supplement. American Council of Learned Societies. Charles Scribners Sons, 2004. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/History/