1. Patrick Henry
a. Reflection:
In Patrick Henry's 'Give Me Liberty or Give me Death' he uses rhetorical questions, charged words, and restatement to convey the atrocious acts of the British, as he tries to persuade the American’s into going to war against New England. I enjoyed reading this speech because it showed me why we needed to fight in this war from different viewpoints that dealt with ethos, logos, and pathos. I also liked how Henry showed that if the Americans did not go into war at this very point, then they will be no more than slaves to the 'mother' country.
a. Reflection:
In Thomas Paine's selection from 'The Crisis No. 1' he uses aphorisms, analogies, and charged words to encourage the soldiers to fight in this war as well as convey a message of sympathy to them as well. I felt like this was written in a more aggressive manner and that his writing was straight forward and to the point. Furthermore, I loved how Paine specified that everyone is fighting in this war, not just the physical soldiers. Also, if had been a soldier fighting in this war this pamphlet would have definitely motivated me to continue fighting as well as convey to me the strong message that the struggle is worth the cost.
3. Paine/Henry Questions
a. What do these men have in common?
Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine were both working for the common goal of complete freedom from
b. Can you see how because these men gave so much, we benefit?
Yes, if it wasn't for the American Revolution we would probably not be as great as a country as we are today. We would probably still be some sort of union under British control. These men were strong enough to stand up for what they believe in and although their opponent might have been stronger and more powerful I have learned that god will always be on the side of honesty.
c. Can you make any connections/extensions to today’s political figures? How so?
Yes, the fact that we have an African-American as president says a lot. President Barrack Obama did what no black man has done before and he won. That act of justice clearly proves, 'you'll miss 100% of the shots you don't try'. Likewise, if Paine and Henry did not take the risk of encouraging the American Revolution, who knows where we would be today.
4. Personal Extension
a. How are you working to live out your American Dream?
Everyday I am working hard in school, and in the community. I know how great my opportunity is in the US and i will not waste it. I also know that if i work hard now, in the future i will not have to and i will have the rest of my life to have fun and relax without worry.
b. What do you do when you hit an obstacle?
Hitting an obstacle is like bumping into a wall WITH a window, the catch is finding that window. We are all human, and we will all make mistakes, but what we all don't do is learn from our mistakes, something that we must get into the habit of doing. Usually, when i hit an obstacle, i give myself at least one day just to think about the situation so i don't do something i will regret in the near future.
