The Rhetoric of Aftermath

Starter 19:  Choose either bin Laden's letter or Howard Zinn's chapter.  React to either's rhetoric.


Fallacies


President Bush's Address to a Joint Session of Congress:  September 20, 2001
1.  What do you notice about Bush's rhetoric?  Jot down your observations as you watch his speech.
2.  How does this rhetoric affect you personally?


Homework:
1.  Read "Commit For the Long Run" by Robert Kagan and Ronald D. Asmus
2.  Find 5 examples of logical fallacies in any sources of rhetoric including the sources we are looking at in class. (ads are a good place to find certain types).  Write down the example and the source.  Due Thursday
3.  Honors (optional for everyone):  Check out Project For the New American Century.  Discover the ideological bias of the organization by exploring their website.  How is their rhetoric?

The Pathos of 9-11

Starter 17:  In your own words, what is the main claim of Dr. Grossman's article?  (Hint:  It occurs close to the end of the reading...)

Project:  The Rhetoric of 20th Century US Military Interventions

Video:  HBO 9-11 Memorium

Homework:  Howard Zinn, Chapter 25

Look at Osama bin Laden's open letter to America

The Atomic Cafe

Starter 16:  How does Howard Zinn describe the rhetorical climate of Cold War America?  (What kind of rhetoric was shaping the public's perception of The Cold War?)

Film:  The Atomic Cafe
1.  Based on these media excerpts, describe the rhetorical climate of Post War/Cold War America?  Use specifics to support your answer.  Does the film support Zinn's analysis?

2.  How have media messages changed since the 50's?  How have they stayed the same?

Write up your answer to Question 1 and turn it in to my box.  If you don't finish, you can turn it in Monday.

Weekend Homework: Dr. Zoltan Grossman website:  Read "A Briefing on the History of US Military Interventions" by next Monday.  Look over his powerpoint.  Do some preliminary research.  Choose the three interventions that you are most interested in studying.

The Rhetoric of WWI

Starter 15:  What does patriotism mean to you?  Do you think it's important to be patriotic?  Is it patriotic or anti-American to criticize the US government during war time?

President Wilson's speeches

Key Terms

isolationism

neutrality

sedition

espionage

The Rhetoric of Protest:  Eugene V. Debs and Charles Schenck

Analyze with a partner or solo

1.       Discuss the rhetorical situation surrounding these speeches (context, exigence, audience)

2.       What is each speaker trying to convince their audience of?   Discuss the effectiveness of each’s rhetoric. 

3.       Are these speeches patriotic or unpatriotic?  Explain your answer.  

Write a paragraph that answers question three.  Turn in to my box.

WWI

Watch The Century, America's Time: Shell Shock (in three parts): 1, 2, 3

Questions for film:  

1.      1.  What is the ideological spin (bias) that the film seems to have about the war?  How does it differ from Howard Zinn’s ideological spin?  Explain your answer with specifics.

2.      2.  What do you notice about the film’s rhetoric?

3.      3.  What reasons does the film give for the United States getting involved in World War I?

Essential Questions
1.  Why do we fight?
2.  How does rhetoric shape the public perception of military conflicts?

Starter 14:  Answer one of the EQ's (to the best of your ability).

Four Corners

Dr. Zoltan Grossman website:  Read "A Briefing on the History of US Military Interventions" by next Monday.  Look over his powerpoint.  Do some preliminary research.  Choose the three interventions that you are most interested in studying.

Starter 13
In  your view, was the Spanish American War a justified military action?
Honors:  How did reading Twain and/or Roosevelt further illuminate the ideology/rhetoric of the times?

Read Around Response 

Respond in the margins and 2-5 sentences at the end.  Look at the person’s rhetoric.  Respond to their rhetoric with more rhetoric.  Comment on the rhetoric itself.    Do not just tell them that you like it.  Tell them what and why.  Correct mistakes if you want, as this speaks to aesthetics.  

Welcome, Rachel!  LINK work time.

This week's readings:
For Wednesday:  Zinn, Chapter 14
For Friday:  Zinn, Chapter 16

For each, answer the following...
1. What does Howard Zinn claim about US involvement in the war?
2. What does he say about the public rhetoric surrounding the war?

Beveridge v Anti-Imperialists

Starter 12:  Interpret the rhetoric.  What effect does this flag have on you personally?

TURN IN STARTERS 6-12!!!


Senator Beveridge's speech and The Anti-Imperialists.  Discuss the rhetoric of each document.

1.        What kinds of noteworthy words and phrases are used?

2.       What can we infer about the ideology of the rhetor?

3.       What value system must the rhetor and the audience share for this rhetoric to be effective? (Aristotle’s enthymeme)?

4.       How does this rhetoric affect you as an unintended “actual” audience member?  Why do you think it has the effect it has?



Homework:  Writing Assignment Due Monday!

Read Clara's letter from Buddha as a model of creative rhetorical response!

The Rhetoric of Empire

The Crucible of Empire: PBS

Finish Film:  continue annotating with attention to 1) its rhetoric 2) the ideology contained in its rhetoric 3) important details about the war and the reasons for getting involved in it

Discussion:  Explore both sides of U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War.

Essential question:  Is democracy compatible with imperialism?

Homework:  Assigned readings.  For each, annotate and answer the question:  What ideology is reflected by the rhetoric of the document?

"Senator Albert Beveridge Calls for an American Empire" (1900)
"Platform of the Anti-Imperialist League" (1899)


Honors: In addition to the other two readings, read one or both of the following, based on the angle you would like to take with your writing assignment.
Mark Twain, "To the Person Sitting in Darkness" (1901)
Theodore Roosevelt, Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine (1904)


Weekend Writing Assignment

The Spanish American War

Starter 11:  Interpret the rhetoric of the political cartoons.  For each:  What perspective is it advancing?  What ideology does the cartoon seem to be reflecting?

Group Work (Show me!):

1.        1.  Discuss Zinn’s version of events.  What claims does he make?  What is his bias?  How does his ideology influence his interpretation of this era of history?

2.       2.  Share with each other the findings from your research.  Did you find that other sources shared Zinn’s bias?  Did you find sources that seemed to reflect a different ideology about these military conflicts? 

3.       3.  What are interesting details that you found out about the Spanish-American War?

Independent Research

Starter #10:  Martin Luther King Jr's Speech at the March on Washington August, 1963.  Why is his rhetoric so effective?

Define:  bias, spin

Read Howard Zinn, Chapter 12
1.  What reasons does Zinn give for American involvement in the Spanish-American War? 
2.  Does Zinn present a biased view of America’s intervention in the Phillipines?  
3.  What is Howard Zinn's spin on these events?

Find other secondary sources about the Spanish-American War and/or the Philippine conflict. 

1.  Citation

2.  Compare/contrast your source to Howard Zinn’s version of the events.  Does the source have a similar spin or bias?  Note important similarities and/or differences.

Happy Friday!

TEST!


Weekend homework:
1.  Consume media critically
2.  Stay cool


Starter 9 ("Ender"):  Consume media.  Respond in writing.

Test Tomorrow!!!!

Starter #8:  What do you think of the "Buffet Rule"?

Read Around Response
1.  Read each other's writing and respond.
2.  Marginal comments and 2-5 sentences at the end.
3.  Comment on ideas and use of rhetoric.
4.  Put your initials near your comments.

Study Guide for Test

Carnegie and the Populists

Starter 7:  Whose philosophy do you agree with more strongly, Carnegie's or the Populists'?  Why?

Assignment:  Carnegie's "Wealth" and the Populist Party Platform

Please type your response and bring a printed copy to class tomorrow!

Tuesday, January 10

Starter 6:  film excerpt The Rockefellers
Evaluate the rhetoric of the film.  (Bias?  Aristotelian appeals?  The 4 A's?)

The 4 Resources of Rhetoric
1.  Arguments
2.  Appeals
3.  Aesthetics
4.  Arrangement

Mary Elizabeth Lease speech (1890):  Analyze for her use of the 4 resources.

Homework:  Read and annotate Carnegie essay and Populist Party platform (questions, connections, rhetoric)

Starter 5:  Reading Quiz
1.  Why were certain men in the 19th century able to amass immense wealth?
2.  Who were the Populists?  What did they believe/want?

Turn in Starters 1-5!

Discuss in groups:
1.  First, discuss quiz questions.
2.  Discuss reading (Chs. 10-11) and homework.  How does Howard Zinn relate the history of the period?  Does his version seem accurate and fair?  Examine his rhetoric.  Can you make any connections to rhetoric you hear nowadays?

Brainstorm:  What do we know about the "Robber Barons" and "The Gilded Age"?

Video  

Welcome Guest Speaker!!!

Readings for Wednesday:
Andrew Carnegie "Wealth"
The Populist Party Platform (1892)
Close Reading!  Annotate!  Questions?  Connections from anything current?

The Rhetorical Situation

Starter #4:  Hank's POL
Look over your notes/outline for the Herrick article and make 2-3 connections between the ideas about rhetoric and Hank's POL.

Group Work on "An Overview of Rhetoric"
Go over Herrick article and reverse outline.  Make sure everyone in your group understands the main ideas.  Share and brainstorm examples.  Ask me questions if you have them.

Lesson:  The Rhetorical Situation

Assignment:  Analyze the rhetorical situation of our reading of A People's History of the United States as a course text.

Homework(for Monday):  Read and annotate Howard Zinn, Chapters 10 and 11 and answer the following questions
1.  In 1-2 paragraphs, explain Zinn's fundamental message about the evolution of social class in the 19th century.
2.  Evaluate his use of Aristotelian appeals (logos, pathos, and ethos)

Aristotelian Appeals

President Obama addresses the nation upon the death of Osama bin Laden

Starter #3:  What effect does this speech have on you?

Lesson:  Aristotelian Appeals

Find examples of logos, pathos, and ethos in advertising

Homework:  Read Obama's address.  Annotate it for examples of logos, pathos, and ethos

What is rhetoric?

Starter 2:  In your own words, define rhetoric.  Give examples.

Lesson:  What is rhetoric?


Work Time:
*Finish Their Eyes Were Watching God assessment (if you did not finish yesterday)
*Finish Herrick "An Overview of Rhetoric"
            Complete Reverse Outline

Homework:  Herrick article and reverse outline if you did not finish it in class

Welcome Back!

Starter 1: What was the most intriguing/interesting item of media you consumed over X-Mas break? What did you take away from it?

A Survey:  Media Consumption and Rhetorical Awareness

Assessment:  Their Eyes Were Watching God

Homework:  Read Herrick, "An Overview of Rhetoric"  (through page 8 for tomorrow; whole article due Wednesday)