Welcome toThe Revolutionary Era

1750 -1850

Background– pg 120-128

Setting the SceneHistory of the TimeLife of the TimeLiterature of the TimeNovels of the TimeLanguage of the Time

The Age of Reason

Writers of this period believed that they could manage themselves and their societies without depending upon authorities or past traditions.

Reason thrived on freedom -- freedom of speech, freedom from arbitrary rulers, freedom to experiment, freedom to question existing laws and institutions.

Contrast with Puritans

Concerned with life here on earth.Adherents of deism -- a philosophical

movement that stressed the perfectibility of man through reason. By the free use of reason, human beings could progress.

Tended to write on science, ethics, or government, rather than religion.

Revolutionary War LiteratureThousands of pamphlets, essays, songs,

poems, and speeches.Puritan writing was private and religious.

Revolutionary literature was public and political.

Helped to establish the identity of our country.

Published in newspapers and tacked up around city (Broadsides), placed under doors, and read aloud.

Changes in America

New country and new government.Arts flourished partly because people were

inspired to express their feelings and ideas.American cities grew and population

doubled.First native American artists, dancers,

poets, writers flourished.

Authors of the American Revolution

1750 -1850

Patrick Henry1736 - 1799

Orator and patriot of American Revolution

Speech on liberty inspired Americans to support the Revolution

Leader in the move-ment to add the Bill of Rights

First governor of Virginia

Thomas Paine1737 - 1809

Wrote Common Sense in 1776. Sold 100,000 copies in three months.

After a stay in Europe, became unpopular in America and died poverty and neglect.

Thomas Jefferson1743 - 1826

Renaissance Man of American history -- lawmaker, writer, scientist, architect, musician, inventor.

Third president of the United States.

Doubled size of country with Louisiana Purchase.

Abigail Adams1744- 1818

Wife of second president, John Adams, and mother of five.

One of the great letter writers.

Early advocate of women’s rights.

Remember Persuasion?

Persuasion - a form of speaking or writing that aims to convince an audience to think or act a certain way. Effective writers appeal to reader's emotions and intellect.

Techniques Used in Persuasive Writing

Rhetorical Question - a question that does not call for an answer because the answer is obvious.

Metaphor - compares two unlike things.Loaded Language - emotionally charged

words.Deductive Reasoning - uses facts to lead the

reader to a probable conclusion; from general to specific

Persuasive Techniques Continued

Inductive Reasoning- from specific to general

Allusion - indirect reference to a person, place, event, or work with which the author believes the reader will be familiar. Allusions provide the reader or listener with a deeper understanding of the main ideas.

Persuasive Techniques Continued

Memorable Line - catchy words or phrase designed to stick with the reader or listener.

Repetition - repeats words or phrases for emphasis.

Parallelism - expresses ideas of equal importance in phrases or sentences that are worded in a similar way.

Persuasive Techniques Continued

Anecdote - a brief story that illustrates a point.Analogy - extended comparison of two things

that have certain similarities. The comparison makes the less familiar object more clear.

Paraphrase - restate someone else's ideas in simple words.

Journal

Explore some of the liberties you enjoy and perhaps take for granted. Think

about people who might be denied these same liberties. Would you risk your life to preserve any one of your freedoms/?

Why or why not?

Objectives

To read and analyze a speech about breaking free

To determine a writer’s purpose

Speech to the Second Virginia Convention

Page 146-147Building backgroundGoing more over: deductive and inductive

reasoning ( R93), allusions & tone Questions on pg 150-1,2,7,8http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

speeches/patrickhenrygivemeliberty.html

(link to the speech)

Parking LOT

Put yourself in the place of the colonists. Do you think you would feel so strongly about

freedom? Why or why not?

Journal

Write about a crisis that someone you know has faced. What were the details of the crisis? How did the person handle the crisis? Was this

tactic effective?

Objectives

To read and analyze a persuasive essay about the colonists’ need to break free from Great Britain

To evaluate the impact of Thomas Paine’s emotional appeals

from The Crisis No. 1

Page 155-157Building BackgroundQuestions: 1-5, 9, 13Word doc with this essay on website

Homework

Personal writing:

Look over the crisis that you wrote about. Write a one page persuasive letter that would motivate that person to solve the crisis by following your advice. Be sure to us the persuasive techniques that you found in Paine’s essay, such as vivid

language.

Journal

Just how much freedom should an individual or a county have? What, if anything, should limit

freedom?

Objectives

To read and analyze a historic document on independence

To identify words with strong connotations

Declaration of Independence

Building BackgroundQuestions: 1,2,3,8http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/

document/Link to this historical document

Parking Lot

Connotation assignment pg 173

Journal

Write about a time when you had difficulty adjusting to a new situation, or when a place or

situation did not live up to your expectations. How did you feel? How did you adjust to the situation?

Objectives

To read a letter on the theme of adjusting to a new situation

To analyze the use of description in the letter

Letter to Her Daughter

Building BackgroundQuestions: 1,2,3,5,7PDF document of this letter on my website

Homework

Looking back at your journal, write a letter to someone who is moving to the area where you

live. Try to present a picture of your region that will create realistic expectations.

Describe the pros and cons of living in your area. Include pictures, either your own or

from the internet, about your area!