History's main perspective is the element of time. History has shown and will continue to show the origins of certain phenomena and describe the conditions of life at that time. Giving us a better understanding of how things took place.
             There is much debate over the origins of the word Mafia. The most common explanation of the word Mafia is that it was derived from an Arabic word for refuge. While others continue to insist that it is derived from a Sicilian adjective implying power, strength, intelligence, and quickness. The Mafia really only refers to organized crime in the south of Italy, specifically Sicily. People tend to use the term inappropriately by referring to Russian, Chinese, and Jewish crime organizations as Mafia's.
             Mafia originated in Sicily in the 9th century. At this particular time Arab settlers governed Sicily. The Sicilians there were highly oppressed and were forced to take refuge in the Sicilian hillside. Approximately two hundred years after the Arab invasion, Sicily was invaded again. This time by the Normans. The Sicilians were once again forced into the mountains where they plotted plans to regain what was once theirs. This secret society created a family like structure based on hierarchy and ancestry. The Mafia developed codes, particularly a code of silence known as Omerta (Liddick 1999). This code holds strong in the Mafia, it is a vow never to reveal any family secrets to anyone, and the consequence is death. As the Mafia grew more popular it grew more powerful. By the 1700's the Mafia began tax collecting. It started by collecting taxes from those who they protected, mostly the wealthy. At first taxpayers paid without hesitation, but as taxes unrealistically increased tax collector's pushed their luck. An example of a wealthy Sicilian refusing to pay their taxes could result in kidnapping, bombing, or even murder (Liddick 1999). By the 1800's the Mafia grew larger, more in
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