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Group- Natalie, Gianna, & Kate
Profile: William Turner is a wealthy middle-class man, that resides in Virginia. He has a wife, Elizabeth, and 2 kids. He is well respected in his town, Williamsburg. William owned a large plantation with many cash crops, and was very politically involved with the affairs of his town. William was invited to listen to Patrick Henry's speech at the Virginia Convention, and plans to bring the ideas back to his hometown, to convince the townspeople to share his and Patrick Henry's idea of fighting the british. Prior to listening to Henry’s speech William was a patriot, but he has not been able to convince the people of his town to rally with him, but after listening to the speech he gained insight on how to persuade them by using Patrick Henry's persuasive tactics. The most positively impactful arguments in the speech were all of the emotional appeal. In particular Henry's closing remarks, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” This conclusion left the people in the audience sparked with emotion of patriotism and ready to fight because they do not want to live without liberty.

Speech: I know that many of you may not share the same ideals, but I have just got back from the Virginia Convention, and I feel that with this new information I learned, I will be able to change your minds. I love this town and all the people in it, which is why I am willing to do whatever I can to make it the best place for everyone to live. With this said, I believe that the only option is to fight the British. While at the Convention, Patrick Henry described all of the actions we have made to try to make peace with the British, and how every time they have not cooperated, and have shut us down. We have tried many different ways to avoid fighting, but all the past actions of the British have shown that there is no other way than to fight. We cannot let ourselves and this place we have worked so hard to build succumb to being controlled by the British. All of us are here for freedom, but if we let the British continue control us, why are we even here?

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Profile: John Williams was a 28 year old colonist who came to America from England with his wife Sarah. He moved to Virginia to start a new life and have a family. One night, when John and his friends were coming home from the town tavern they were stopped by some British soldiers. After the soldiers stopped them for no reason whatsoever and refused to let them go home, John and his friends began to fight back. John’s best friend, Henry, was taken away and John never saw him again. Months later, John now wants nothing more than to be free of British rule in his new home. That’s when John read Thomas Paine’s “The Crisis, No1”. Knowing that his wife was pregnant, John was especially moved by Paine’s statement about creating a better life for the children and future generations, a life full of freedom and free of oppression. This idea of being able to help create a better world for his child, made John that much more eager and passionate to join the fight against the British, not only for Henry, but for his future family as well.

Response: As John was discussing what he had read with his wife Sarah, he said, “As your husband, I feel like I must join the Patriots so that we can create a better life and a safer world for our child. Don’t you want that for our baby? Paine talked about how unfair and oppressive the British have been, and I have to agree. We are being unfairly treated with these ridiculous taxes on teas and stamps that we already can barely afford. For goodness sakes sarah, we are paying taxes on paper! We have to let these soldiers into our home, people that do not care for us or respect for us we must share our lives with.  Their presence is constant, there is no escape. This is no place for a child to grow up. Paine is a well respected and educated man who knows what he is talking about. I truly believe his publishing can bring everyone together to make a difference and save us.”

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I am a soldier who has been fighting with Commander Washington, and have seen the horrors of this war. I had to leave my family and friends, convinced that I would see them again soon. I was convinced that fighting would quickly bring the ones I loved to freedom. But I have been out too long, and desperately miss my loved ones. We had just been defeated, and are now freezing and starving. I was beginning to lose hope and motivation to fight. But then we were read Paine’s essay, and I remembered the hope I felt when I began this fight. This quote stuck out to me, “though the flame liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal never can expire.” I remembered my original inspiration to fight, and found hope again.

Thomas Paine’s speech inspired many Americans. He used persuasive methods to remind the troops about freedom and to boost their morale. He starts with logical appeals, and tells the people about the cruelty of the British taxes when he says, “Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared, that she has the right (not only to TAX) but to ‘bind us in all cases whatsoever,’ and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth.” He uses this logical appeal to tell the people that the British are taking advantage of them by taxing them. Also, Paine uses ethical appeals in his speech, saying that, “Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder…. ” Paine shows that he doesn’t like the violence, and thinks it murder. He acknowledges the fighting is bad, and shows that he understands the soldiers hardships. Finally, Paine uses powerful emotional appeals when he declares, “Though the flame liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal never can expire.” He has shown the people that there is still hope, and that the troops are fighting for a worthy cause; freedom. All in all, Paine’s speech to the suffering American troops uses different persuasive appeals that remind them that there is still a reason to fight.

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Profile: Phillip Martin is an American patriot who is a multi-plantation and slave owning citizen of Virginia. He is a third generation American of English descent, he is a rich man, that is taxed heavily. He  is open to other alternatives to war but is willing to fight if that is what it comes down to. Phillip Martin has been in the political talks of Virginia for years, he is known for wanting to break away from England but not go to war. Before the speech he had no particular opinion about war, but felt the need to become independent.   For him the most impactful line was “Give me liberty or give me death!” This was very impactful to him because he wanted liberty or independence but now others are saying liberty now or let us be slaves of the crown and die.

As I return from the meeting, I learned of the information that I would be receiving more slaves for my tobacco plantation. I pondered the final line of Patrick Henry’s speech “Give me liberty or give me death!” This particular quote made me question what was better for America at this point in history. Would we continue to beg the king and become slaves to them or fight the war and get liberty, freedom, and independence now? ^“But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do, opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely, and without reserve.” Conversation began to erupt and different opinions were shared. A lot of personality and character traits are shown when there is a debate going on. As I look to the left, I see a gentleman standing on top of a street lamp screaming his moral views. This act of vulnerability resulted in others becoming roughty and persuaded to be for the war. I began to think what would happen if the war were to happen? It wouldn't be that bad I thought. Soon I was for the war and wanted to see  change in the country I lived in.

^^“For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate.” This can really hit somebody's soft spot and make them crestfallen. It can make some people rethink their decision and want to go to war rather than be a slave.

^^^“And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves, and the House?” The people in America are tired of having British rule in Virginia, like it said Britain has been ruling them for ten years now, and people want their own freedom. Ten years is enough of Britain ruling them, and they want to rule themselves now.
^ethos
^^pathos
^^^logos

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Profile:

James White is a father to 2 sons, a white farmer, and a strong patriot. He was a successful farmer when he first came to the colonies but recently he hasn’t been because of the British. This caused James to be a stronger patriot who wanted to fight the British. After he heard Patrick Henry’s speech he wanted to fight the British and make a change. The quote at the end of the speech, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” made him want to fight against the British and change things for the better.

Response:

I know some of you may not agree with Patrick Henry’s speech but I hope you will agree that the change will help our community. After I heard Patrick Henry’s speech I realized that the British have changed nothing for us and everything we have tried has failed. I agree with Patrick Henry saying that we should fight the British and finally get our independence. I have been working hard on the farm to support my family but my sales have been declining because of the British. The British are keeping everything the same and it’s not working. We need to make something happen soon for all of the people in the colonies.

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Bernard Archibald Hester is a 40 year old undecided northerner living comfortably under British rule.  He lives in Boston and witnessed the Boston Tea Party in 1773.  The most impactful part of the argument for Bernard was “A man may easily distinguish himself between temper and principle, and I am as confident as I am that God governs the world, that America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion.”  It impacted him in a positive way because he realized happiness comes from freedom and not other rule.

I am here to say at first, yes, I was happy with how we are living.  But now, new ideas have been pitched and my mind is changed.  Yours should be too.  I have good word from Thomas Paine, and I feel like everyone should listen to him and now that I am siding with him, maybe you will listen too.  Look, all the British are doing to us are taxing us cluelessly and binding us in all cases.  It doesn’t matter where you live or where you come from.  You will feel everything that America goes through, unless we make a change.  We deserve freedom because it will improve America, and there will be no more tyranny!

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Profile: Name: Charles Samson.  He didn't want to fight against the British because he didn't need to. His life was good and he didn't want to mess it up by going to war.  An argument that helped sway his opinion was when Thomas said “Britain has trembled like an ague at the report of a French fleet of flat-bottomed boats; and in the fourteenth [fifteenth] century the whole English army, after ravaging the kingdom of France, was driven back like men petrified with fear;”.  It helped sway his opinion because it seems to him as if fighting Britain will be an easy victory and not an inconvenience as he thought originally.  He didn't want to mess up his life with the war so if the war is small and easy then he will be able to have the same life and win the war.

Response: “ Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph” is a quote from Thomas Paine’s, “The American Crisis”. Thomas Paine believed that fighting the British was the only way to escape the control that they had on the Americans. I agree with that because it would make sense to fight for our freedom because it is something that we have earned through hard work and manual labor. What do we get in return?  Less food and supplies from Britain. I, like many of you hardworking patriots, do not enjoy handing over my food, my rations and my money to an uptight slob. Thomas Paine said, “Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devils; and as I do not, I cannot see on what grounds the king of Britain can look up to heaven for help against us: a common murderer, a highwayman, or a house-breaker, has as good a pretence as he.” I for one agree that the King is a no-good money hungry lunatic, so I see no reason as to why fighting for what's ours is wrong.  This shows the people that the King of Britain is just the same as a common criminal, therefore, making him less credible.   Finally, in Paine’s “The Crisis” , he says “Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER ``''.  This means that Britain can and will put the people of the colonies into slavery if they can.  This emotionally affects people and makes them not want to back down so that they can keep their freedom.

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Profile: Our character for the persuasive appeals essay is Bartholomew Smith: a wealthy, older white man. He has 4 children named Jane, Jameson, William, and Matthew, along with his wife Mary Ellen Smith. Bartholomew Smith was an audience member in the courthouse where Patrick Henry was announcing his speech to the members. Smith goes outside the courthouse to relay Patrick Henry’s speech to the citizens of Virginia. He was a Virginian delegate, one of many whom Patrick Henry presented his speech too.

Speech: Citizens of Virginia, I, Bartholomew Smith, present to you as a delegate of the house,  wishing to express the ongoings of the Virginia convention to inspire unity within our colony. Patrick Henry has presented a debate in favor of succession from our mother country, England. Our previous efforts have fallen short and due to lost time, our effort must prevail against our enemy. If we sit in the comfort of our homes and lack a coherent perspective, we will be put in bondage and shackles, England’s wish of complete control will befall upon us. We have prostrated ourselves before the throne and in response we have received nothing but accusations and degradation of our presence. We have done what we can as a peaceful force but today we must put ourselves forward to fight against our controllers. And for Henry, myself, and his supporters, our true countrymen, give us liberty or give us death.

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I know some of you may not agree with Patrick Henry’s speech but I hope you will agree that the change will help our community. After I heard Patrick Henry’s speech I realized that the British have changed nothing for us and everything we have tried has failed. I agree with Patrick Henry saying that we should fight the British and finally get our independence. I have been working hard on the farm to support my family but my sales have been declining because of the British. The British are keeping everything the same and it’s not working. We need to make something happen soon for all of the people in the colonies.