1. Proposition of Fact
In areas without an absolute answer, persuade your audience that one thing or another is fact.
For example, if we don't know whether aliens exist, try to persuade them that they do not. Your persuasive topic would be, "Aliens Cannot Possibly Exist."
Use as claims for within your paper… everything needs to lead back to why your topic is the most influential.
It might not be definitive that one event is the most influential…

2. Proposition of Value
Write about whether something is good or bad, worthless or ideal.
For example, try to persuade your audience that basketball is the ideal sport. Your persuasive speech topic would be, "Basketball is the Ideal Sport."
If you are saying a battle is the most important event, you might have to say that the war was too in one of your smaller claims

3. Proposition of Policy
Argue for immediate action or approval about what should be done. This is a call to action. You must not only persuade them that you're right, and that the action is necessary, but that it is immediately important.
For example, explain how many people are dying of AIDS in Africa, what it's doing to their economy and governments, and how it will inevitably effect America. Then tell them how to get involved with raising money and influencing American politics. Your persuasive topic would be, "How You Can Help Save America from Africa's AIDS Problem."
Not sure this applies so much to your topic this time…but keep in mind

4. Argument by Authority (Ethos)
The claim that the speaker is an expert, and so should be trusted.
There are degrees and areas of expertise.
The speaker is actually claiming to be more expert, in the relevant subject area, than anyone else in the room (this should be true).
There is also an implied claim that expertise in the area is worth having.
This won’t be your entire argument, but you should include it (and should be in your outline somewhere)
Your diction/syntax and grammar/conventions help with ethos as well.

5. Argument by Emotion (Pathos)
Using emotionally loaded words to sway the audience's sentiments instead of their minds.
Many emotions can be useful: anger, spite, sadness, and so on.
An entire point may be made appealing to the audience feeling about a particular aspect of your topic.
The impact of 9/11 or a particular battle/war might have strong emotional ties

6. Argument by Logic (Logos)
Premise 1: Non-renewable resources do not exist in infinite supply.
Premise 2: Coal is a non-renewable resource.
From these two premises, only one logical conclusion is available:
Conclusion: Coal does not exist in infinite supply.
Premise 1: All monkeys are primates.
Premise 2: All primates are mammals.
Premise 3: All mammals are vertebrate animals.
Conclusions: Monkeys are vertebrate animals.
This can be very effective in your paper. Think more about the financial impact of your event, population growth, anything statistical that might help.

7. Argument by Analogy
Claiming that two situations are highly similar to give the audience a sense of understanding.
Example: A teacher facilitating learning in a classroom is like a conductor leading an orchestra.
This can be effective when used correctly. Worth having someone else proof read it to make sure the analogy is as clear to them as it is to you.

8. Argument by Causation
Arguing that a set of events or facts caused some result or outcome.
Best used with claims of fact or policy, it can easily establish a problem-solution structure to a text.
Causation requires substantial proof or evidence, but it is one of the most compelling arguments you can make.
Causation is effective for this paper due to the nature of our topic. Can be tough, but some of your topics this is crucial!

9. Rhetorical Strategies
Persuasive Words
Metaphors, Anecdotes, or Stories- They work by suggesting a likeness between a character and the listener, or a situation and the listener's. What is emphasized or suppressed is key.
Double-bind- One way of getting a child to eat her vegetables is to offer a "choice" "Would you like peas or spinach?" Regardless of the alternative chosen, your desired objective is met.

10. More Rhetorical Strategies
Rapport- How does the author go about building a sense of friendliness and receptivity on the part of the audience?
Humor
Absolutes- Words like "don't" and "must" creep in and can give a writer's statements a sense of authority.
Questioning
Repetition

11. Tone
Your voice is a tool that can be used to draw attention to important points or complement specific ideas.
When used this way, it engages an audience and encourages them to listen.

12. Diction and Syntax Diction is the choice of words.
Syntax is the arrangement of words
How important are diction and syntax?
The words chosen, and the order the words are in, will alert the audience to how he or she should feel toward the speaker and how to feel about what is happening.
It will also alert the audience to how the speaker feels towards the topic, too; all of this without any direct instructions from the speaker.