What do these clips have in common? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=salmxkxr5k0 (Avatar) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlrrewji4so &feature=related (Pirates of the Caribbean) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlrrbs8jbqo (Braveheart) Speeches 1
Unit 1, Part 2: The Right to Be Free (Age of Reason) Part 1: The events that led up to Patrick Henry s Speech at the Virginia Convention and the Declaration of Independence. Part 2: Examining the types of persuasion techniques that Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson used. 2
The Colonists in the early 1700 s Years after the British Puritans established colonies in America, and the Salem Witch trials took place in Massachusetts (1692), the American colonists were mostly content to be under British rule. However, tensions grew after the French and Indian War. 3
What started the French and Indian War? France and England had competing claims for land in North America. The French occupied land in the Mid-West, and the British colonies wanted the French to leave. The countries also competed over trade issues with the Native Americans in the disputed region. This led to the French and Indian War. 4
French and Indian War, continued Colonists fought for the British, while the Native Americans fought for the French. The war lasted from 1754-1763. The British won, receiving all lands east of the Mississippi River, except New Orleans. 5
Resentments Begin Although the British won the war, they were deeply in debt. They demanded more revenue from the colonies. Colonists were taxed to pay the war cost, which started the resentment of the Colonists against the British. 6
Proclamation of 1763 Colonists were not allowed to settle the land they helped win for England. In 1763 the British created the Proclamation of 1763 that prohibited settlement beyond the Appalachian Mountains. While Britain did not intend to harm the colonists, many colonists took offense at this order. 7
Colonists Begin to Protest During 1764 1765, the British enforced the Sugar Act, the Currency Act, the Quartering Act, and the Stamp Act to tax and put limitations on the colonists. Colonists grew angry and the colonist merchants began a boycott of British goods. Secret societies began to form such as the Sons of Liberty to protest. Parliament repealed the Stamp Act, but imposed the Declaration Act, which gave parliament supreme authority to govern the colonies. 8
More British Actions The British also imposed the Townshend Acts. These acts placed taxes on goods such as glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea. In order to enforce the act, British officers use writs of assistance to enter homes or businesses to search for smuggled goods. Colonists saw the Townshend Acts as a serious threat to their rights and freedoms. 9
Tools of Protest To protest the Townshend Acts, colonists formed another boycott of British goods. This boycott was formed by Samuel Adams - leader of the Sons of Liberty. Sons of Liberty pressured shopkeepers not to sell imported goods (those from Britain). Daughters of Liberty called on colonists to weave their own cloth and use American products. 10
The Boston Massacre (March 5,1770) A fight between British troops and citizens of Boston (the Patriots) broke out. British troops fired on the Patriots, killing 5 people. Sons of Liberty called the shooting the Boston Massacre. 11
Boston Tea Party The Tea Act of 1773 gave the British East India Company control over the American tea trade. Protests broke out everywhere. December 16, 1773, a group of men disguised as Indians boarded three tea ships and destroyed 342 chests of tea. The colonists thought that the Boston Tea Party would show Britain how much they opposed taxation without representation. 12
Britain Fights Back Because of the Boston Tea Party many in Britain called for the Americans to be knocked about their ears. King George III said, We must master them or totally leave them to themselves and treat them like aliens. Britain decided to master the colonies and passed a series of laws to punish the colonists. British called these new laws the Coercive Acts, but they were so harsh that the colonist called them the Intolerable Acts. 13
First Continental Congress In September 1774, delegates from all colonies except Georgia met in Philadelphia. The delegates held out hope that they could restore the colonies relationship with Great Britain. They sent formal petitions to King George III and the British people, asking for their rights as British subjects. 14
Second Virginia Provincial Convention The colonists met again in March of 1775 to vote on whether Virginia should take up arms to defend against a feared British attack. Patrick Henry, the most famous orator of the American Revolution, delivered a fiery speech to convince delegates of the need for armed resistance. 15
Common Sense (1776) Common Sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that helped convince thousands of colonists to support independence from Great Britain. 16
Declaration of Independence By the spring of 1776, many colonial Americans believed that the only solution to the conflict was to break away from British rule. At the Second Continental Congress held in Philadelphia, a five-member committee was appointed to draft an official statement of the reasons for independence. 17
Declaration of Independence, continued Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston and Thomas Jefferson were the appointed committee. Jefferson was chosen to write the declaration for two reasons: 1) He was a very good writer. 2) He was from Virginia. After voting for independence on July 2, the full Congress debated the Declaration for two days, making a few more changes before adopting it on July 4. 18
Four Main Parts of the Declaration of Independence Preamble - Announces the reason for the document. Declaration of people s natural rights and relationship to government. List of unfair acts of George III, the British king. Conclusion that formally states America s independence from Britain. 19
Changes from the Puritan Age to the Age of Reason: The Puritan Legacy For the Puritans God was in everything. He was their Creator, Redeemer, Judge and Helper. The American moral fiber is based on the Puritan beginning in the fear of God and obedience to Scripture. This is the legacy that the Puritans left behind in their values and literature. 20
Changes from the Puritan Age to the Age of Reason: The Age of Reason Legacy Goal: to gain independence from England People during this time period believed that God was a person who had put Natural Law in the world to govern it. In other words, this is much like a clockmaker who winds up a clock and then walks away, leaving it to do what it is designed to do. Legacy: Independence from England and the Constitution of the United States. 21
Part 2: Persuasive Techniques What types of persuasion did Patrick Henry use to urge Americans to fight against the British? What types of persuasion did Thomas Jefferson use in the Declaration of Independence? 22
Persuasive Rhetoric Rhetoric is the art of communicating ideas. Persuasive rhetoric consists of reasoned arguments in favor of or against particular beliefs or courses of action. To be effectively persuasive, a work generally has to engage both the mind and the emotions of its audience. The writer needs to show that his or her position has a firm moral basis. The Declaration of Independence provides examples of the three basic types of appeals used in persuasive arguments: 1) logical appeals, 2) emotional appeals, and 3) ethical appeals.
Logical Appeals Provide rational arguments to support a claim. Example: the assumption that all men are created equal is supported with objective evidence such as the list of injuries and usurpations committed by King George III. A writer can develop an argument 1) deductively, by beginning with a generalization, or premise, and proceeding to marshal examples and facts that support it or 2) inductively by beginning with examples or facts and proceeding to draw a conclusion from them. 24
Emotional Appeals Often based on specific examples of suffering or potential threats. Example: Jefferson s statement that King George is attempting to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny. Also include loaded language language that is rich in connotations and vivid images. 25
Ethical Appeals Based on shared moral values or experience. Calls forth the audience s sense of right, justice, and virtue. The author s credibility is also an element of this type of appeal. Why should the audience listen to this person? Why is this person s opinion valued over another s? How is person s opinion or experience fit in with the topic or situation? 26
Ethical Appeals Example: Jefferson reminded people that independence was a last resort, after the failure of other measures: In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress, in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. Jefferson is using a sense of justice for his ethical appeal. Also, Jefferson is a credible source because of his persona as an important political leader of the time period. 27
Styles of Persuasion Elevated Language This is the use of formal words and phrases that can lend a serious tone to a discussion. Example: The powerful empire of nature is no longer surrounded by prejudice, fanaticism, superstition, and lies. The flame of truth has dispersed all the clouds of folly and usurpation. Olympe de Gouges 28
Styles of Persuasion Rhetorical Questions This is the use of questions that don t require answers. Writers pose rhetorical questions to show that their arguments make the answers obvious. Example: Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Patrick Henry 29
Styles of Persuasion Repetition This is repeating a point that tells the audience that it is especially important. It can also be the repetition of a form of expression that tells the audience that the ideas expressed in the same way are related. 30
Styles of Persuasion Parallelism This is a form of repetition; it is used very effectively in The Declaration of Independence. Example: We hold these truths to be self-evident: - That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 31