The Revolutionary Era

1
The Revolutionary Era

• 1720 -1800

2
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.

3
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.

4
Revolutionary War Literature

• Thousands 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, placed under doors, and read aloud.

5
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.

6
Authors of the American Revolution

• 1750 -1800

7
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

8
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.

9
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.

10
Abigail Adams1744- 1818

• Wife of second president, John Adams, and mother
  of five.
• One of the great letter writers.
• Early advocate of womens rights.

11
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.

12
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.

13
Persuasive Techniques Continued

• 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.
• Concession to the Opposition and Refutation -
  acknowledge the arguments of those who oppose
  your view and then tear down these arguments.

14
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.

15
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.