REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD: Patrick Henry & Thomas Paine

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

by: Patrick Henry

"The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. It is in vain, sir, to extentuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

Dear Dairy,

Standing among by brothers and my sisters, I listen to the words of Patrick Henry, as he recited powerful words of liberty. These words were influnce by a powerful spirit that came and lifted my spirits as if I was a kite in the wind. His words gave us hope that our light will not flicker in the presence of darkness. Patrick gave us a vision of what it means to be free. Yet at first it was scary at the thought of welcoming war. War brings bloodshed and tears to us all but, without war we can never be free from Britain. We can not sit by and watch the suffering continue. We are Americans the strong and the brave! We will not go quiet in the night and we will face our enemies. We will stay strong with our flag which flaps violently in the air of the madness of war. We will win or we will die trying to gain our liberty!

Jane

Reflection:

Patrick Henry picked good words to reinforce the desire of liberty onto the people. These words such as, “The war is inevitable – and let it come!” in this phase Patrick uses these words to impact (logic and emotion) onto that the listeners that war will always be on there doorstep unless they fight back. The words that he use were emotion, ethinc, and logical which influence the people. Patrick's most powerful phase is “Give me Liberty or Give Me Death,” this was an emotional phase which awake the people of America to fight back for there liberty. This phase reinforce the need to gain liberty and to be free from their slavery of being trapped by Britian's arms. Patrick Henry uses ethos and pathos to exposes how a credible speaker can influence the people through his experience and knowledge.

Selection from “The Crisis, No.1”

by Thomas Paine

"These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value."

Dear Dairy,

Last night I over heard my father reading aloud The Crisis by Thomas Paine. I sat on the stairs and merely listen to what Paine had to say. It is true what he says, for I believe every word of it. The time as come for our men to stand up and face our enemies. Since the beginning of the war men have risked there lives for liberty, and with time there very souls are being tested to see how worthy they are to posse such a thing as liberty. For those who run away in fear from the enemy are nothing but cowards who do not deserve liberty. Those cowards would only get in our way to achieve our dream of liberty. Our victory in war is to achieve our freedom, our liberty from the slavery of taxes of Britian. This victory will be so sweet like a peach on a summer afternoon because we have finally won our liberty. I believe such a day will come, because as long as there men out there that think like Thomas Paine who are real patriots we will achieve the greatest victory of all, liberty.

Jane

Reflection:

Thomas Paine is a patriot who stood with his country to gain liberty. Liberty is a powerful desire that every one wished to gain. Liberty is the ability to be free from slavery and Paine was a man who reinforced others to believe in that ability of gaining liberty. One example is, "These are the times that try mens' souls," this phase has logic and ethnic to influence the people. During this time of war, men were tested to see how strong they were and how strong was there need to win liberty. Only with hardwork and suffering can you achieve the true goal in life, "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value," Paine words a combine power of logic, ethnic, and emotion to convey the truth in his words. Only those who fought against Britain and did not turn to run away deserve our up most appreciation because they fought for our liberty. That is one reason why we have such a wonderful gift because of the men and women who work hard to achieve the true desire of freedom from Britain.

Essential Question Reflection:

Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine are two patriotic writers during the Revolutionary War. They both wrote inspiring pieces to go and join the war against Britain. They wrote how the only way to achieve liberty is to fight back against Britain and win to gain liberty. The men, who fought in the Revolutionary War fought for our freedom from Great Britain but, along with freedom is sadness because of all the lives that were lost in the fight for our happiness. Right now time is being repeated, soldiers are fighting to protect us and to keep our liberty from being destroyed. The American Dream is a false hope because for patriots like Henry and Paine both died when the beginning of liberty. They didn’t get to enjoy it and live it as we are. It gave them fake hope because at first they thought they could make America with no bloodshed with Britain but, in the end they had to fight for liberty. This is being repeated today, the American Dream of being safe from harm is a fake dream because there are always terrorist who are greedy and want what we have.

Personal Extension:

How are you working to live out your American Dream?

What do you do when you hit an obstacle?

My American Dream is to work hard to be success, to be happy, and to have fun in life. Right now, I would say I am doing alright on my road to my dream. I have a few obstacles to go over but, I know I can do it. When ever I have a problem I will either think of the best way to get out of it and then if that doesn’t work I slowly stop worrying about it then I will move on with my life. Sometimes I can be a care free person and move on with happy fun topics in life but, other times I can be a very serious person that worry’s A LOT!

Political Cartoon:

Interviews:

Jay:
1.What do you think the American Dream means?

I think the American Dream is to have the Freedom to enjoy life, and to live a happy comfortable life.

2. How have you lived the American Dream?

Over the years every house I owned was always a step better than the next. With working hard I achieve better places of living that would help take better care of my family.

3. What are some of the happiest moments in your life?

Some of my happiest moements are when I achieve my Batchers degree at Indiana University, having my children and, getting married to my wonderful wife Deniece.

4. Would you like to change anything different about your life, past or present?

I would love to travel more and go snow skiing more.

5. What are some of the goals you would like to accomplish in the future?

My main goal would be to retire.

Deniece:
1. What do you think the American Dream means?
I think the American Dream means to have the job of your dreams and the ability to afford what you want.
2. How have you lived the American Dream? I try to enjoy my job, by working hard and with this I can enjoy spending money for my family which, produces a happy free life for them.
3. What are some of the happiest moments in your life? When I got married and when my babies were born.
4. Would you like to change anything different about your life, past or present? I would like to have a better education.
5. What are some of the goals you would like to accomplish in the future? Saving money for a happy peaceful retirement.

Ashley:
1. What do you think the American Dream means?
I think the American Dream means to be successful in your own eyes.
2. How have you lived the American Dream?
I have gotten into college and I survived a horse accident.
3. What are some of the happiest meoments in your life?
I won a poetry contest, called Who Whose Among the American High School Students.
4. Would you like to change anything different about your life, past or present?
I would have never gotten on that horse which cause me 2 years of pain.
5. What are some of the goals you would like to accomplish in the future?
I would like to be a Pharmacist and to enjoy my life.

In Edition to Interviews:

What did I learn from these interviews?

I learn that many people think that the American Dream is about living a happy life by making money. This is the American Dream of today, it use to be get married, have kids and have a nice house. Like our environment it evolves over time with technology and the minds of the people. I learn that the American Dream of today, can not always be achieve because times are harder but, I am on the way to achieve mine and no one is going to stop me!

Cubist:

The man behind the friendly face.

MATERIALISM

Henry David Thoreau Walden Pond:

What is a house but a sedes, a seat? — better if a country seat. I discovered many a site for a house not likely to be soon improved, which some might have thought too far from the village, but to my eyes the village was too far from it. Well, there I might live, I said; and there I did live, for an hour, a summer and a winter life; saw how I could let the years run off, buffet the winter through, and see the spring come in. The future inhabitants of this region, wherever they may place their houses, may be sure that they have been anticipated. An afternoon sufficed to lay out the land into orchard, wood-lot, and pasture, and to decide what fine oaks or pines should be left to stand before the door, and whence each blasted tree could be seen to the best advantage; and then I let it lie, fallow, perchance, for a man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.

Reflection:

Henry David Thoreau created this passage through detail and riddles. To me I think Henry enjoy the country than he did with the city, for the country is free and beautiful. There you can roam and be happy to see the never ending sea of grass. Henry was a man who enjoyed the outdoors who could sit and enjoy the smell of the pureness away from the corruption of the city.

Dear Dairy,

Today I read Henry David Thoreau’s “Where I Lived, and What I Lived for”. This passage was created with such descriptions that it allow my mind to wonder to think of a different life style. To think of the happiness of the west and the freedom of the country, it allowed me to think of the possibilities of living for what I want and not for someone else. Henry was a man who used his knowledge to spread the word of the pureness of the country to be able to be free and sit enjoying the smell of the pine. Oh, I wish to escape my city prison to the open fields of freedom. Unfortunately I will have to wait tell I am older but, until then I will continue dreaming the dream of the country.

-Jane

Walden Pond gallery???

Civil Disobedience

Governments show thus how successfully men can be imposed on, even impose on themselves, for their own advantage. It is excellent, we must all allow. Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way. For government is an expedient by which men would fain succeed in letting one another alone; and, as has been said, when it is most expedient, the governed are most let alone by it. -Henry David Thoreau

Reflection

In Civil Disobedience Thoreau gives of the curiosity of what is the government really for. How is it run, is it run by the greedy men who thirst for power or is it the people who wish to live a happy life. The answer is that no one runs America, because no one can do it alone. There will be always people who will back up the next individual, people who have the same common interest. Is the person who governs America alone, if he thinks he is he is wrong there are thousands of people watching him and helping him pick the best discussion for us all.

Dear Dairy

There is so much disruption in the world I don’t know when we will be ever be free of it. It seems like there is always corruption waiting in every corner. Like the corrupt cities growing bigger and bigger. Soon there won’t be any country left and there will be nothing but cities. I hope we will be able to come out of this dark hole we got ourselves in. I believe someday we will finally have a president who sees for the people, someone who is there for us and not for his own. I think Thoreau believes in the same thing, in his Civil Disobedience he speaks of how America can’t be governed by one person, it is controlled by us all and once we all come to an understanding of this, then we all can get along better with each other. Until then we will just keep on coming up to the many bumps in the road of equality.

-Jane

Extra:

Nature and Self Reliance

Nature Chapter 1 Ralph Waldo Emerson

"When we speak of nature in this manner, we have a distinct but most poetical sense in the mind. We mean the integrity of impression made by manifold natural objects. It is this which distinguishes the stick of timber of the wood-cutter, from the tree of the poet. The charming landscape which I saw this morning, is indubitably made up of some twenty or thirty farms. Miller owns this field, Locke that, and Manning the woodland beyond. But none of them owns the landscape. There is a property in the horizon which no man has but he whose eye can integrate all the parts, that is, the poet. This is the best part of these men's farms, yet to this their warranty-deeds give no title."

Dear Dairy: Today I was walking into town to buy some supplies for the winter. There were two men arguing on the corner of main and 5th street. I couldn't help but to stop and watch them argue. They were making such a big noise. I ask a man who was watching the quarral what it is about. He said it was a fight over land and each farmer thinks the land belongs to the other farmer. I asked, "Why don't they split it up?" He repiled, "well that is because they are spoiled man and everyone wants more land to farm." I nodded and move on. I don't understand grownups they are always fighting over land. The land can never be owned by man because it belongs to god and not us. Well they will figure out that lesson sooner or later. -Jane

Self Reflection:

This piece allowed to feel apart to nature again. I haven't been able to enjoy nature as I used to because I have been too busy but, through this essay I feel more respectful to nature. I like how he went into depth into nature and show that there is always time to get away from society to the beauty of nature. There are always time to sit back and to enjoy the space of beauty. The lesson is to go outside more and respect it every chance you get.

Self-Reliance Ralph:

" I read the other day some verses written by an eminent painter which were original and not conventional. The soul always hears an admonition in such lines, let the subject be what it may. The sentiment they instil is of more value than any thought they may contain. To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, — that is genius. Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense; for the inmost in due time becomes the outmost,—— and our first thought is rendered back to us by the trumpets of the Last Judgment. "

Dear Dairy: I was getting ready for bed when my grandfather walk in. "I am going to put you to bed tonight" he said with a smile. I jump into bed and got comfortable. He smiled and asked, "Did you pray" "Yes" I respond. He nodded and pulled out the bible and read me a chapter. "What is this chapter about?" he asked me. I looked at him and said, "It is about finding your self." He nodded and asked, "Do you think you have found yourself?" "I think I found part of myself but, not all of it." I repiled. "By the time you get my age you will come to an understanding with yourself, god, and with nature." "Until then it is time for bed." said Grandpa. Thats when I closed my eyes and I enjoyed the welcoming sleep dust. -Jane

Self Relfection: When I read Self-Reliance I thought that the author wanted the reader to understand that every individual as the right to speak out and to believe in there force. That you don't have to hide your opinion, to speak your mind and find an understanding with the world as well with nature. This is a piece of writing expresses how the reader needs to find the inner self "being". In order to be well and have peace on this earth.