Persuasion: The American Revolution and the 2016 Presidential Election
Throughout history, persuasion is a tactic used by influential people in order to gain something. In both the American Revolution and the 2016 presidential election, persuasion was used to acquire a number of things: the trust of the people, their vote, their encouragement and overall, their faith. The ideas of democracy, freedom and liberty that political speakers alike employed in both of the aforementioned events helped persuade the American people. The American Revolution contained rhetoric in an abundance of its literature that features the radical ideas of democracy, freedom and liberty. The usage of these ideas helped sway the audience, and instituted a sense of nationalism and pride in the future. The Declaration of Independence was not just something for the political man, but it was addressed to the people.
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They did so by employing the ideas of democracy, freedom and liberty. Both the democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton and the republican candidate, Donald Trump spoke on national security and both of their speeches include evidence of these ideas. Trump spoke of how the future of the democracy must include an increase in military and a more preventative approach regarding cyber attacks. The fear tactic of a possible attack urges voters to think about their freedom, and what it would mean if it was lost. Similar to the The Declaration of Independence and The Crisis, Trump addressed the “common man” as identified by Maddy Todaro in her socratic discussion. Clinton uses a persuasive attack also, but she uses a logical explanation for why American freedom would be endangered under a Trump presidency. The 2016 presidential election was full of events that contained persuasion
Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us about Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs portray the basics of rhetoric in a modest and clear way. The author initiates the first chapter of his book with a short and simple summary of where rhetoric originated so that the audience can picture the time frame. He points out that it all started back in prehistoric Greece, describes its effect on Roman storytellers, and discusses the importance of rhetoric associated to William Shakespeare. Henrichs explains his views of taking rhetoric to a new level and bringing it back for all the new writers and readers of the upcoming generation, due to it being a low perspective in society. He chose to have his first chapter, “Open
He then asserts that Trump successfully utilized oratorical tactics to manipulate the unconscious mental frames of voters for political support. He categorizes Trump’s oratorical tactics into repetition and “metaphorical thought”. Trump combined their usage to develop a person which subconsciously connects to voters by altering the way voters perceive his character. Using Trump, Lakoff effectively highlights the power and danger associated with “metaphorical thought” in political rhetoric. Nonetheless, he fails to account for Trump’s use of emotional appeal (pathos) embedded in his rhetoric, as a means of persuasion.
The first thing stated in the Declaration of Independence is that all people are free and equal because they were born with a certain set of rights that cannot be taken away. The Declaration of independence also states that if the government does not do their job, then the people have the right to start a new government. The Declaration of Independence expresses important ideas
Deducing from both documents, Declaration of Independence and the Common Sense pamphlet. There are numerous concepts to take in account of why American revolutionaries wanted to declare their independence from Great Britain. To begin with, Thomas Paine’s pamphlet was created to convey two main points, independence from England and the creation of a democratic republic. The result of this creation was from the constant British violation against the rights of Americans and unfair British rule. Paine questions the fact a continent remains tied to an island and under its cruel policies.
The American Revolution was a time of political turmoil and conflict that happened between the British and the thirteen colonies during 1765 to 1763. The colonists rejected the British monarchy and aristocracy because they believed they should be able to govern themselves. The colonists acted out against the British and their rules, ultimately causing the American Revolution. We know the outcome of this; America declaring the freedom of the colonists from British rule. During the American Revolution, the colonists needed ideas and support to clear themselves of British power.
The writers of the revolution wrote to make people feel certain feelings. There are two ways they did this, Thomas Paine wrote to bring out emotion, Thomas Jefferson wrote to appeal to the reader on an intellectual level, and Patrick Henry found the perfect balance in his “Give me liberty or give me death speech”. Thomas Paine wrote a series of pamphlets titled Common Sense. In these pamphlets he scares the reader into being for the revolution. In The Crisis No.1 he writes “Let them call me a rebel, and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery devils were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of a sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man.”
The Declaration of Independence impacted the United States by providing structure, inspiration, and courage; this ultimately led to the provisions of the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The Declaration of Independence was a way for the colonist to be able to speak their mind to Britain. After successfully winning the 7 years of battle against England, the colonist felt as if it was time for them to speak out about England. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence alongside of five other men.
2. A) The Declaration of Independence best represents the beginning of American identity because it forces the people to recognize themselves as a new nation. They are no longer controlled by the British, but they are now considered Americans. They are not controlled by the British government and can create their own rules that represent the American Identity.
The Declaration of Independence as a whole was significance to the colonists living in America during 1776. The Declaration of Independence was an announcement to the British and the rest of the world that
The American Revolution ignited democratic rule in nations and spread through the whole world. The American Revolution was definitely different from other revolutions in many ways. It was radical in that the causes of it were for new ideas like their ideas on equality, that all men are created equal, and are given the right to live and pursuit of happiness. Although the American Revolution was radical than any other revolution that had occurred previously. it was more conservative than it was radical.
The Declaration of Independence often reminds citizens of all the great freedoms to enjoy in this country. To the people who signed and wrote the Declaration in 1776, it was much more than just being able to enjoy freedoms in their new land. By signing that paper, they were agreeing to give up everything they had. They put their families, friends, homes, and businesses at risk of being attacked by the British, however they felt strongly enough about what the British were doing to them that they were willing to risk it all. The Declaration of Independence was influenced by many different people, events, and things, including Thomas Jefferson, The Tea Tax, and the Boston Massacre.
Persuasion has been used to not change the minds of people, but rather to make them . “Ethos, pathos, and logos are frequently used in the Declaration of Independence,” (Root). Historical figures have used the rhetorical technique of persuasion to change the path that history takes. In the 1770’s, the Declaration of Independence was signed to show that the America’s separated themselves from the Great Britains. “That they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is and ought to be totally Dissolved,” (pg 115 line 19).
The Constitution—the foundation of the American government—has been quintessential for the lives of the American people for over 200 years. Without this document America today would not have basic human rights, such as those stated in the Bill of Rights, which includes freedom of speech and religion. To some, the Constitution was an embodiment of the American Revolution, yet others believe that it was a betrayal of the Revolution. I personally believe that the Constitution did betray the Revolution because it did not live up to the ideals of the Revolution, and the views of the Anti-Federalists most closely embodied the “Spirit of ‘76.” During the midst of the American Revolution, authors and politicians of important documents, pamphlets, and slogans spread the basis for Revolutionary ideals and defined what is known as the “Spirit of ‘76”.
It also included a passage critical of King George III and the slave trade, but were omitted from the final draft, for being too controversial. The Declaration of Independence was a Declaration for international recognition of America’s struggle for freedom and served as an inspiration for colonial peoples around the world seeking
It also opened a gateway into something of a quarrel with many competing countries because they thought Great Britain was vulnerable because they had lost to their once controlled subjects, who were poorly trained and equipped with weapons to win a war. The declaration independence was an important piece in history that changed many lives,