In this document, James Henry Gooding writes a letter to President Abraham Lincoln in September of 1863, with a complaint regarding his mistreatment and low pay as a soldier. Gooding, as well as his fellow soldiers, believe that they are being underpaid for the work that they are doing, but he first asks forgiveness for addressing the President. “…But the earnest solicitation of my comrades in arms besides the genuine interest felt by myself in the matter is my excuse, for placing before the Executive Head of the Nation our Common Grievance” (Gooding, 221). He continues by explaining that on the 6th of August, a man from the Department of Payment was sent to inform the soldiers that he would pay them $10 per month, but everyone in the regiment knew that he would never keep his word. Gooding goes on to argue, “…are we Soldiers, or are we …show more content…
We are fully armed, and equipped, have done all the various duties pertaining to a Soldier’s life…” (Gooding, 221). The blood of his fellow man has stained the ground that protected Union, so they deserve to be paid as equals to those of a lighter skin. Time after time, before and during the war, black men were refused the privilege to fight for their nation. Now that their country needs them most, the question remains as to why they are not equally treated and rewarded as others who fight for the same thing. “Now your Excellency, we have done a Soldier’s duty. Why can’t we have a Soldier’s pay?” (Gooding, 222). Whether or not they are freed slaves who were let go from their service for the war, they should still be paid the same for the same work. “We appeal to you, Sir, as the Executive of the Nation, to have us justly dealt with”
Though many scholars, such as Seltzer, have noted the antislavery rhetoric purposed the same ideals of the Gettysburg Address (and one could argue, even more meritoriously), this did not mean that Black were looked as equals by the majority of the nation. Seltzer argues that, “By casting his [Wills] interpretation in terms of a narrative of origins, Wills exaggerates the originary force of Lincoln 's Address at the expense of an appreciation for the cultural work of popular groups who were themselves involved in a reevaluation of national ideals through an appeal to the Declaration of Independence long before Gettysburg” (Selzer 126). She then concludes; “Abolitionists were changing in the popular eye from extremists to patriots who tried to
Robert Smalls was one of the first recruits to recruit colored troops. Black slaves volunteered by the thousands. They had suffered to long and been suppressed for many this was their way “ getting back at the white man” Yet many slaves saw this as a fight for their freedom and the freedom of their children, so that one day they would live
Green’s speech was delivered only a month into the Civil War. Casualties were prevalent on both sides and reinforcements would surely be needed. The speech calls for African Americans to unite around a shared love of country as well as to inspire oppressed slaves in the South. Finally, Alfred Green uses facts to help support and build up his argument. By speaking of specific times where African American soldiers helped the United States in war, Green provides evidence to support his argument.
Today it is difficult to conceive that an “experiment” was needed to prove that African-Americans are as capable as whites, especially in view of General Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the black astronauts and the veterans of Korea, Vietnam, and The Persian Gulf, all of whom have made outstanding contributions in military service. The army didn’t know it at the time, but they had produced in the Tuskegee Airmen a powerful force that indeed worked to destroy the racial barriers the military and the nation were so reluctant to pull down on their
The Civil War divided the nation in 1865 with an estimated number of casualties of 620,000 people. The Gettysburg address was written to remember that the loss of the fallen soldiers. The Gettysburg address was an important document for the development of civil war. The Gettysburg Address showcased the injustices of slavery, the fight to save the union,and the struggle of freedom. The Civil War was a battle against slavery.
Gettysburg Speech In 2000 at Gettysburg, Coach Herman Boone presented his football team with a heartwarming, pathos speech about a historical war event to cause his players to fathom the importance of acting as a team. Coach Boone’s Gettysburg speech was a mesmeric allusion to President Lincoln’s famous dedication, and provoked a comparison between one of the hardest fought battles of the civil war and the need for teamwork. His morning practice speech is meant to inspire by arousing images, to appeal to their emotions, on the consecrated field of one of the most difficult times in American History. “Anybody know what this place is?”
Slavery, the War on Black Family While slavery in America was an institution that was started over 400 years ago, the affects were so horrific that it is still felt today by modern day African Americans. Many families had to deal with the constant stress of being sold which made it difficult to have a normal family life. Slaves were sold to pay off debts, an owner dying and his slaves were sold in an estate sale, or when an owner’s children would leave the home to begin a life of their own, they would take slaves with them. Often times, children were not raised by their parents, other family members of someone designated to watch the children because the mother and father had to work long hours and the children were too young to join them.
At one point, Lincoln uses the line, “…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain…” (Lincoln) taking the approach of almost making the citizens feel guilty so they feel they need to continue the reason the fallen soldiers were fighting for. He gives the people a reason to fight for what they think is right. While using pathos, he also used egos with the same idea of using the fallen soldiers. Every time Lincoln mentioned the fallen soldiers, he’s referring to someone whom the people of the nation had put their trust in and believe in.
On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave a speech that, unbeknownst to him, would become one of the most recognized speeches in the history of the United States. The empowering speech was given in the midst of the gruesome civil war that began between the north and the south over the long-conflicted morality of slavery. Through one of the most highly remembered speeches of our history, The Gettysburg Address, Lincoln commemorates the dead and wounded soldiers at the site of the battle in Gettysburg through references to history, unificating diction and metaphors of life and death to unite the nation in a time of separation and provide a direction for the future of the country. Lincoln begins his essay utilizing historical references in order to illustrate to the public the basis of what the nation was founded upon. Through this, he reminds Americans the morals and ideals that the people are willing to spill blood for.
The Great Speech Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863 delivered one of the most iconic speeches in American History. His delivery infuses us with such raw power and emotions that poured out from the bottom of his heart will change the hearts and minds of Americans for ages to come. Abraham Lincoln did not just write one speech he made five different copies with different sentence structure and paragraph structure, to show how important the layout of the message and how it needed to be simple and to the point. Dissecting “The Gettysburg Address” we begin to understand Abraham Lincoln’s heart lies, he reminds everyone about our past and that we should honor those who fought for our freedom; he tells us “All men are created equal” only to show us what we need to work on as people in the present, he spreads hope for the future and encourages us to grow together
The letter shows the loyalty that African Americans gave to their owners, despite all of the suffering they put them through. The letter showed that Anderson was intelligent and that he was no longer property of Colonial Anderson, but a man replying to another man. Never before could a slave write to their owner in such a way. Mr. Anderson states that “surely there will be a day of reckoning” for what he experienced in slavery. Anderson expresses that he, like the rest of the freed American slaves, would never turn back and never give up their freedom.
A young soldier wrote a letter to the NAACP “ If I fight, suffer, or die it will be for the freedom of every black man to live equally with other races. If the life of the Negro in the United States is right as it is lived today, then I would rather be dead” (Takaki 23). Camp conditions for black soldiers were degrading, they could not go to church services, and other training programs were segregated. Despite these conditions, African Americans contributed significantly to the war effort with support work and had some of the toughest battalions, including the well-respected 99th Pursuit Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group.
In "The Gettysburg Address," Abraham Lincoln brings his point across of dedicating the cemetery at Gettysburg by using repetition, antithesis, and parallelism. Abraham Lincoln uses repetition in his speech to bring a point across and to grab the audience attention. For example, President Lincoln states, "We can not dedicate--we can not consecrate-- we can not hallow-- this ground." Abraham Lincoln is saying the Gettysburg cannot be a holy land since the ones that fought there will still be remembered, and Lincoln is assuming that the dead and brave that fought would still want Gettysburg to improve on more.
The Gettysburg Address was intended to be an argument to persuade. Abraham Lincoln was inspiring his troops because morale was low after the Battle of Gettysburg. They need motivation to keep fighting. Lincoln used logos by explaining that because people gave their lives defending what they believed in, the living should finish the job the dead started. By talking about the fellow soldiers who died at Gettysburg, Lincoln appeals to the pathos of his listeners.
Abraham Lincoln in the speech, The Gettysburg Address, constructs a point of achieving a "just and lasting peace" between the North and South without retribution. Lincoln supports his assertion by justifying his beliefs of unity between the states. Lincoln's purpose is to influence the people to not allow what has been done to go to waste. He wants his audience to realize that this division will only persist if no one settles the current issues in society. Lincoln speaks in a sympathizing, determined tone to address the Americans who are mourning the loss of their loved ones and to the rest of Americans who he wants to see a change from.