After hearing Henry’s Speech, would you have voted to prepare for war? When the bell rings, start a new page headed with today’s date. After hearing Henry’s Speech, would you have voted to prepare for war? Aristotle: http://www.iep.utm.edu/a/aristotl.htm Plato: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato Socrates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates

Today’s Menu American Revolution Notes Rhetoric Notes

American Revolution Not a time of fun literature: 20 years w/o “frivolious” literature (changes worldwide) A time of political change that requires weighty literature Not “American” writing yet—still colonial in style, voice, subject Still a “ruled people”—seeking rebelion, but not yet the explosion of revolt

Age of Reason/ Enlightenment Began in the 1600s Science and rational explanations for life and human behavior filter down to all classes A “new language” in common Scientific discoveries explain things previously attributed to God’s miracles Sir Isaac Newton Deists (scientists & philosophers) believed in God because of scienctific miracles, not because of the Bible Definition of God changing and being questioned-even scientifically—away from mythology

The New World Vast unsettled continent Continued immigration Unlimited potential and opportunity Continued immigration Hourly arrivals The opportunity to own land is a new freedom never before experienced Begin to use the phrase “American colonies” (not “British colonies”) The start of an identity

A New Identity New freedom leads to desire for More freedom More respect Desire to be seen as educated and classy More autonomy (authority to make decisions) Recognize differences between the colonies and Mother England Like adolescents, colonists were trying to form an individual identity. Want freedom, want others to pay. want to make own choices, but still want help or direction. Want to be an individual, but desire to fit in

Arguments (the Spark) Who will rule? Response Who will tax? Who will decide how tax money is spent? Response Boston Tea Party Declaration of Independence Etc. Civil War

A New Literature Emotional Language, Emotional Tone Uses the langauge of Rebellion and Revolt NOT an Emotional Theme Meant to Appear Unemotional Looks like an essay, but… Political Urging political and social changes Reflects a belief of moral superiority Begins to Identify American beliefs A cultural voice Nonfiction Essays Beginning of American satire Pokes fun at everyone else, eg the french Adolescnce shown by mocking others

Rhetoric: the art of communicating ideas Logical appeals: rational arguments and reasons Emotional appeals: often include loaded language to focus on the audience’s feelings rather than logic Ethical appeals: call forth the audience’s sense of moral values Rhetorical questions: asked to show the argument makes the answer obvious; not meant to be answered Parallelism: repetition that uses the sames sentence/phrase structure

More rhetorical devices Allusion: indirect reference to a person, place or event in history or art that the author believes the audience will recognize Restatement of a key idea in different words Exclamation: highly emotional or provacative statements Understatement: says less than is meant Hyperbole: vast exageration