Crisis Newspaper Speech Analysis

In Patrick Henry’s,“ Speech in the Virginia Convention,” he explains to the President as well as the government at the time on how a war with Britain is completely necessary in order to gain full independence for America. Henry uses a proud tone to inspire his audience, simple and complex sentence structure to convey straightforward details, patriotic and passionate diction to bring an uprising of emotion, and ethos to ethically support the main idea.

Upon landing on the beach of Plymouth aboard the Mayflower in 1620, our ancestors were quick to form the Mayflower Compact, a document of self-government. Now on the Twenty-Third of March, 1775, Patrick Henry has lead the cry for sovereignty and for war against Britain. Many of us now are divided over a controversy that has left us skeptical of our fellow colonist. The congressmen in Richmond, Virginia have heard Henry’s exclamation, as he spoke of freedom from Britain and the need for war. Henry argues that the British are preparing for war, that our peace agreements have been in vain, and it's our duty to fight for the noble cause of liberty. So let us not extenuate the matter any further and rather discuss the means in which we strive to free ourselves from the grasp of the Parliament. The time is upon us to take action, because if we are to fight in order to keep our freedom and prosperity, is there really anything else to lose. While the thought of war is inconceivable, we will no longer stand the despotic and oppressive ways of the

In “Killing England”, readers are introduced to a supposedly novel take on the Revolutionary War through the unique perspective of the authors. The latest in the “Killing” series, this installment beckons readers into arguably one of America’s greatest eras. Using the voices of historical figures such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the authors craft a story of drama and heroism.

The fight for American independence was a long, arduous struggle, but many great literary works aided the battle. One such example is Patrick Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention”. Given in 1775 at the Virginia Provincial Convention, Henry aims to convince listeners of the futility of peace with Britain, and that they should join the efforts for the inevitable war. To accomplish this, Henry uses many different persuasive techniques and rhetorical devices. In Patrick Henry’s “Speech”, Henry uses techniques such as rhetorical questions, allusion, and emotional appeal to convey the point that the United States must rebel against Britain.

Next, the author of “The Crisis № 1”: Thomas Paine, uses aphorisms, while portraying ethos, to get his point across to the colonists. Although Paine uses several aphorisms throughout the first paragraph of the document, there is one that completely sums up what he is fighting for: “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph” (Paine 88). This quote explains how King George III acts like the devil and rules like a tyrant. Paine tries to get people to join together during this difficult time. Even though he knows that this will be a tough fight, the victory will be worth it. Aphorisms give the audience, not only an eye opener to the situation, but also a lesson that explains how life operates. Paine uses ethos while describing England’s rule:

Today we look back at the American Revolution and picture a united people fighting for inalienable rights, but to grasp the impact that Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” had upon his contemporaries we must understand the situation in the American colonies in 1776. When Paine wrote his pamphlet, the colonist and The Parliament in London, were almost 10 years into a debate over the rights of limited self-government by the colonies. In the months preceding the publication of Paine’s pamphlet the situation had steadily worsened until the April 19th, 1775 armed confrontation between Massachusetts colonists and British Army soldiers. By the end of that day, blood had been shed by both sides, and armed colonists placed the British garrison in Boston under siege. Despite this violence, most colonists viewed the events as a part of a struggle between Englishmen that would be resolved with the continued allegiance of the colonies to the Crown, but with more favorable treatment from London. It was with this popular mindset throughout the colonies, that Paine would deliver his “Common Sense” pamphlet arguing for complete independence from England. Paine understood that to make his argument resonate he needed to appeal to the public in a manner that had yet to be done.

On April 19th, 1775, infantrymen of the British Army clashed with colonial Patriots near Boston, MA. British troops, also known as redcoats, had been in Boston for seven years to ensure that the Intolerable Acts were enforced. Colonists had already demonstrated their displeasure for their king with the Boston Tea Party, and now the British were on the offensive attempting to confiscate the arms of the rebels. Militiamen were alerted and a standoff occurred at Lexington and Concord. History has left us in doubt about which side fired first, triggering the Revolutionary War. But various stories give different accounts. American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson called it the "shot heard 'round the world," and described it as coming from the colonials. There is more reason to believe that the first shot did come from the side of the Patriots simply because they had more to gain by initiating a war. This paper will show why it is more reasonable to believe that the Patriots fired first.

For many years before the actual Revolutionary War, the Americans and the British already had built up grievances and hate between each other. Some may argue with such tension, war was inevitable. In the famous Declaration of Independence, the Americans not only declared their freedom but also included a list of their grievances addressed to King George III. The events leading to these accusations explain the complaints leveled against the King and prove their validity.

In 1775, Patrick Henry gave America one of the most inspiring speeches that will bring soon bring them together with war on the rise. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” has become the battle-cry to the people in the colonies to take a stand against Britain’s rule and make America their own country. Even after the attempted peace between the two countries, it has been exhausted to the breaking point, and it has come to the time where fighting for their own freedom is the only viable option. Henry’s speech spoke volumes to the American people of the truth, the false presence of peace, and the cry for battle against Britain.

The Boston Massacre is one of the most controversial events in American history that occurred in Boston before the American Revolution. Certainly, it has a fundamental role in the development of America as a nation, which led it to have a huge motivation for revolution. A heavy British military presence and having very high taxes in the country were some of the main reasons that made Boston citizens very irritated. Thus, there were already many disagreements and tensions between inhabitants and the British that could have led to the Massacre. In this essay, I will carefully analyze three primary sources, and compare these to the interpretation given by HBO’s John Adams. In my view, these sources can be

Patrick Henry, in his speech to those gathered at the Virginia Convention and president Peyton Randolph, explains how the United States needs to fight in the Revolutionary War. Henry supports his statement by describing how important it is to answer the call for war. The author’s purpose is to emphasize how the war is inevitable in order to convince the president that they should definitely fight in it. Henry speaks in an inspirational and patriotic tone to those listening in on his speech. He establishes many rhetorical strategies to influence the president's decision including rhetorical questions, anaphora, and repetition. Henry emphasizes how the war cannot be avoided and tries to inspire the audience to fight in the war by addressing the

Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction?” (Henry 90). The rhetorical questions try to convince the Convention to truly think about starting the war by exaggerating the fact that America will be completely helpless if they do not act before England. Finally, the imagery applied gives the audience a clear view of what the battle will look like if they are not prepared when Great Britain comes. An example of this is when Henry claims that “the next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms” (Henry

Before the American Revolution, unified resistance against governmental tyranny was an unknown to prosperous colonies. In 1775, Patrick Henry’s legendary speech to the Virginia Convention delegates inspires many to take arms against British despotism. Through the rhetorical strategies of allusion and diction, Henry urges the necessity for war against an unwanted government and advocates for the natural born rights of every colonist.

The American Revolution was filled blood and violence. Battles shook the earth, and the lives of countless brave soldiers were lost. The roaring cannons and muskets could be heard from miles away, but the voices of American authors would be echoing across the globe. This hostile environment and time period were not only made possible by famous generals; writers played an important part in America’s history as well. Writers used the power of words in their books, newspapers, pamphlets and much more to give Americans a sense of hope and unity. These words were, in their own ways, more formidable than any ordinary bullet, striking the hearts of countless Americans and Parliament. Authors such as Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and John Dickinson

“1776” is a story of war. This book chronicles the year 1776 and the different battles that took place during the year. Instead of exploring the political changes the year oversaw, Pulitzer Prize winner, David McCullough explores in a different perspective on the battles that occurred during the year. From battle strategies, to the lives of Major Generals, McCullough takes you through the story in a more realistic and factual perspective. “1776” offers an intimate look into the military aspects of the revolutionary war which creates a more lively and engaging literature. McCullough opens the book in London, where King George III appears on behalf of his people to announce war with the North American colonies. American patriots sought to overthrow British government that overexerted its power and pressed the American colonists, which manifested in the former taxes and troops. The American colonists began to protest and riot, which increased tension, eventually leading to the Battle of Lexington and Concord,