Unit Lesson 4: Sense and Structure Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” &

Patrick Henry's Virginia Convention Address

You will learn/learn to:• Rhetorical devices used by seminal U.S. historical document authors (Thomas Pain, Patrick Henry)

• Consider how the author’s strategies for presenting their claims (e.g., medium, perspective) impact the overall effectiveness of their arguments.

• Pay special attention to the logos, ethos, and pathos as thee appeals are balanced in the texts

• Incorporate rhetorical devices in your own text.

Unit Lesson 3 cont.: Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” & Patrick Henry's Virginia Convention Address

A Quick Lesson in Symbolism

In 1754, during the French and Indian War, Franklin published his famous woodcut of a snake cut into eight sections. It represented the colonies, with New England joined together as the head and South Carolina as the tail, following their order along the coast. Under the snake was the message "Join, or Die". This was the first political cartoon published in an American newspaper.

As the American colonies came to identify more with their own communities and the concept of liberty, rather than as vassals of the British empire, icons that were unique to the Americas became increasingly popular. The rattlesnake, like the bald eagle and American Indian, came to symbolize American ideals and society

The Rhetoric of Freedom

For any American who enjoys the privileges--and sometimes the overwhelming responsibility--of living in an independent nation, there are two particularly gifted writers that are in a long line of people to thank: Thomas Paine, and Patrick Henry.

Library of Congress

The Fuel for the Fire: Patrick Henry's Address to the Second Virginia Convention

Library of Congress

To avoid interference from Lieutenant-Governor Dunmore and his Royal Marines, the Second Virginia Convention met March 20, 1775 inland at Richmond--in what is now called St. John's Church--instead of the Capitol in Williamsburg. Delegate Patrick Henry presented resolutions to raise a militia, and to put Virginia in a posture of defense. Henry's opponents urged caution and patience until the crown replied to Congress' latest petition for reconciliation.On the 23rd, Henry presented a proposal to organize a volunteer company of cavalry or infantry in every Virginia county. By custom, Henry addressed himself to the Convention's president, Peyton Randolph of Williamsburg. Henry's words were not transcribed, but no one who heard them forgot their eloquence, or Henry's closing words: "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/giveme.cfm

The Match to the Flame: Thomas Paine's Common Sense, January 1776

Library of Congress

A pamphlet published at Philadelphia in January 1776 accomplished what bloody encounters at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill had not. It persuaded a critical mass of Americans to a break with England. Forty-six pages long, it was Common Sense, an instant best-seller, and a catalyst for colonists less interested in reconciliation with the mother country and more attracted to the idea of independence.

First attributed to an anonymous author, it came from the pen of Thomas Paine. It caused a sensation in England. In France, though the royal government suppressed sections critical of monarchy, it fed sentiments for a revolution that would erupt in 1789.

Background Thomas Paine, History.org

“But Britain is the parent country, say some. Then the more shame upon her conduct.”

Background Thomas Paine, History.org

Though his arguments were familiar, Paine’s message contrasted with other printed protests. He created a vision of a nation founded on principles that empowered ordinary citizens, a radical idea for the time. The notion of enfranchising women, slaves, or Native Americans lay in the future, but Paine described how republican democracy would work for now, proposing a structure that gave the ruling power to the people of North America and not to Parliament. There were no references to the privileged classes who long had controlled politics. Advocating revolution, he addressed the fears the colonists had of such an undertaking by saying the present was the best time to break free of the mother country; Britain would be stronger militarily as time passed, and success harder to achieve.

Writing that “the period of debate is closed,” he reasoned that the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775 between the Massachusetts militia and British soldiers, where the Revolution’s first blood was shed, changed every- thing. Citing King George III’s rejection of the Continental Congress’s appeal to resolve the conflict, the Olive Branch Petition, he wrote: “Arms, as a last resource, must decide the contest.” Paine invoked a cause in support of representative government that was greater than the conflict between England and the colonies, and said, “’Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest.”

Four months after Common Sense’s publication, Virginia’s General Assembly, sitting in Williamsburg, ordered that its delegates to the Second Continental Congress propose independence. Two months later, July 2, 1776, the motion carried. This began the American Revolution.

1. Review both texts: Identify the following:

Context Henry Paine

Audience

Purpose____________________________

Paraphrase both texts

SOAPSTONE Overview of both texts, express understanding using paraphrase of specific sections of each text. Students should highlight claims in yellow, evidence/details in blue.

COMPARE Rhetorical Devices

Refer to the "Virtual Salt Rhetorical Devices" in your packet (or "Best Dressed Sentence" rhetorical figures of speech). Share "best-ofs" with class (posted to Edmodo).

Review devices, and 5 SPECIFIC examples from each text. Share on board/verbally, using Cornell chart.

Classify examples of rhetorical devices by which appeal they use the most, and add them to your L/E/P charts. Date your notes, and be sure label quotes by citing authors and page numbers using MLA format.

1. Who is the audience, and how does this effect his rhetoric?

2. Which rhetorical appeals are most strongly present? Which specific rhetorical devices are employed most effectively?

3. What words does Paine use to suggest that the distinction between king and subject is unnatural? What appeals/devices are used in this strategy?

4. Who does Paine say would want to reconcile with England? What does his language tell you about how he feels about these people?

5. What does this text help you understand about how to build credibility and logical appeal into your speech? What specific techniques would you like to try?

Focus on Paine: Balancing Logos, Ethos, Pathos

1. USE your Rhetorical Devices Rewrite your Extension Task project

introductions. Be sure ONE sentence imitates a rhetorical technique that you found in Paine’s “Common Sense.” Highlight this sentence and bring tomorrow.

Outline your essay using "Outline Model Using SEEC Method." MOST of your outline may be in note form rather than prose, but use COMPLETE sentences for claims/reasons/topic sentence that each incorporate rhetorical devices.

Locate "Assessing Complex Texts," Spend 15 minutes reviewing questions. These are questions that can be used to thoroughly assess ANY complex text.

Use the worksheets to take guided notes in your notebooks on Thomas Paine's Common Sense. When complete, upload a readable image of your notes to EDMODO.

2. FOCUS ON PAINE: The Author's Strategy & Complex Text

Talk Teams: Work together to MAP OUT the claims connect to one another, including how the second and third claims logically arise from the development of prior claims.

Your visual map should show the CAUSE and EFFECT that Paine is implying, and that help lend UNITY to his overall argument. Be sure to mark any rhetorical figures of speech that come up.

COMPLICATION: Are there any problems (logical fallacies) with his argument?

2. FOCUS ON PAINE: The Author's Strategy & Complex Text

Students should lead teams in preparing and sharing information from the following:

http://www.cantonlocal.org/Downloads/Analysis%20of%20Speech%20to%20the%20Virginia%20Convention.pdf

Patrick Henry Analysis: Theme, Rhetoric, and Figures of Speech

OUTLINE MODEL USING SEEC METHOD Thesis: I. Introduction A. Lead/Attention Getter B. Transition & Introduction of Author and Primary Source C. Thesis Statement that provides summary of points to be covered, IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE II. Body Paragraph 1 A. Topic Sentence (If argument, then Reason 1) i. Statement that asserts part of Thesis ii. Explanation of statement a) Evidence from Text b) Connection of evidence to larger purpose B. Transition to next paragraph.

III. Body Paragraph 2 A. Topic Sentence (If argument, then Reason 2) i. Statement that asserts part of Thesis ii. Explanation of statement a) Evidence from Text b) Connection of evidence to larger purpose B. Transition to next paragraph. IV. Body Paragraph 3 A. Topic Sentence (If argument, then Reason 3) i. Statement that asserts part of Thesis ii. Explanation of statement a) Evidence from Text b) Connection of evidence to larger purpose B. Transition to next paragraph. V. Body Paragraph 4 (Complication/Counterargument) A. Topic Sentence i. Statement that asserts part of Thesis ii. Explanation of statement a) Evidence from Text b) Connection of evidence to larger purpose B. Transition to next paragraph. VI. Conclusion: a. Reflections and connections (to real life, to important social issues, etc.—leave me thinking) b. Paraphrase/return to Thesis (DO NOT REPEAT WORD FOR WORD—simply give your essay “closure”)

OUTLINE MODEL USING SEEC METHOD