Speech in the VA Convention

1. Speech in the VA Convention

3. Review “The Declaration of Independence” • Turn in questions from “The Declaration of Independence.” • Get out a sheet of paper for a quiz over “The Declaration of Independence”

4. Open Book QuizPage 240-244 • Write one argumentative paragraph in which you persuade me that you should not be quizzed over the vocabulary words. Each paragraph must include a claim, support, and counterclaim. • Use your book to answer the questions on the next slide.

5. Open Book QuizPage 240-244 • Who is the author of the Declaration of Independence? • According to the document, what rights do people have that cannot be taken away? (9) • When do people have the right to form a new government? (11-13) • Why do the colonies oppose the king’s taxes? (66) • What do the united colonies declare to the world? (108-109)

6. Standards • RI 5 – Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing and engaging. • RI6 – Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, and beauty of the text

7. Essay Question • Using informational text from the unit, make a convincing argument for which text makes the most effective use of rhetoric.

8. Rhetorical Devices • Rhetorical devices are structures within language that appeal to readers and communicate ideas. • In other words, rhetorical devices make you want to listen.

9. Rhetorical devices used in The Speech in the VA Convention • Rhetorical Question – ex. “But when shall we grow stronger?” • Antithesis – ex. “Give me liberty or give me death.” • Repetition – ex. “Let it come! I repeat sir, let it come?” • Parallelism – “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet?” • Biblical Allusions – references to events, figures, or phrases from the Bible.

10. Class assignment • Read the Speech in the VA Convention by Patrick Henry in your Baseball groups. • Use expo markers and transparency sheets to underline the rhetorical devices as you see them. 1st base – green/yellow – antithesis 2nd base – blue – parallelism 3rd base – black – rhetorical questions Home base – pink/ orange - repetition

11. Class assignment • On your own sheet of paper, each person in the group will then write down two examples of each form of rhetorical device. • Next, help each other answer the following questions. Write down answers on your own paper to be turned in for a grade.

12. Questions! • What does Henry mean when he says, “This is no time for ceremony”? (line 6) • What is the “question before the House”? (line 6-7) • What stark contrast does he present to convey the importance of this question? (line 9) • According to Henry, why is it so important to have “freedom of the debate”? (line 9) • Why does he mention the delegates’ responsibility to god and our country”? (line 11) • In lines 22-26, what point does Henry cite to argue that the British are preparing for war? (lines 30-31) • In lines 41-46, what is Henry’s answer to those who favor talking to the British? • What is Henry’s tone in lines 80-86? • What mood might his speech have stirred in the audience? • What does Henry mean when he says, “give me liberty, or give me death”? (line 86) What does he hope to achieve by this cry?