question archive Unit 1 Study Guide “Liberty or Death,” Patrick Henry The following passage is an excerpt from the speech “Liberty or Death” given by Patrick Henry to the Second Virginia Convention in March 1775
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Unit 1 Study Guide “Liberty or Death,” Patrick Henry The following passage is an excerpt from the speech “Liberty or Death” given by Patrick Henry to the Second Virginia Convention in March 1775. Read the passage. Then, answer the question(s). (1) . . . Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and to provide for it. (2) I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. 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? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with these warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. . . . (3) . . . They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? (4) Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. . . . Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. (5) It is in vain, sir, to extenuate 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! 1. What persuasive techniques does Patrick Henry use in the passage? 2. Which main rhetorical device is employed in paragraph 3 of the passage? 3. Underline the detail from the text that is an example of the device identified in question 2? 4. What analogy is made in the following line from the passage? I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. 5. What is the meaning of the analogy made in the line cited in question 4? 6. Circle an example of charged language from Henry’s speech. 7. How would the overall tone of Henry’s speech best be described? 8. Put a box around an example of a paradox found in the speech. “Address in Independence Hall,” Abraham Lincoln On Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural journey to Washington as president-elect, he stopped in Philadelphia at the site where the Declaration of Independence had been signed and gave an address. Read this excerpt from Abraham Lincoln’s Address in Independence Hall. Then, answer the question(s). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania February 22, 1861 Mr. Cuyler: (1) I am filled with deep emotion at finding myself standing here, in this place, where were collected together the wisdom, the patriotism, the devotion to principle, from which sprang the institutions under which we live. (2) You have kindly suggested to me that in my hands is the task of restoring peace to the present distracted condition of the country. I can say in return, Sir, that all the political sentiments I entertain have been drawn, so far as I have been able to draw them, from the sentiments which originated and were given to the world from this hall. I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence. (3) I have often pondered over the dangers which were incurred by the men who assembled here, and framed and adopted that Declaration of Independence. I have pondered over the toils that were endured by the officers and soldiers of the army who achieved that Independence. I have often inquired of myself what great principle or idea it was that kept this Confederacy so long together. (4) It was not the mere matter of the separation of the Colonies from the motherland; but that sentiment in the Declaration of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to the world, for all future time. It was that which gave promise that in due time the weight would be lifted from the shoulders of all men. This is a sentiment embodied in that Declaration of Independence. 9. What is Lincoln’s main purpose in making this speech? 10. What rhetorical device did Lincoln use to achieve his purpose? The Articles of Confederation, 1777 The following passage is an excerpt from the Articles of Confederation, the first document to structure the government of the United States after independence. Read the passage. Then, answer the question(s). (1) To all to whom these Presents shall come, we the undersigned Delegates of the States affixed to our Names send greeting. . . . (2) . . . Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts-bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. (3) (4) Article I. The Stile of this confederacy shall be “The United States of America.” Article II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, and every Power, Jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled. (5) Article III. The said states hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their Liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever. (6) Article IV. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different states in this union, the free inhabitants of each of these states, paupers, vagabonds and fugitives from Justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several states; and the people of each state shall have free ingress and regress to and from any other state, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions and restrictions as the inhabitants thereof respectively. . 11. Give an example of formal diction as used in the passage. from From the Darkness Cometh the Light, or Struggles for Freedom, Lucy A. Delaney The following passage is from the book From the Darkness Cometh the Light, or Struggles for Freedom by Lucy A. Delaney, the daughter of an illegally enslaved free woman. Delaney’s mother eventually sued for both her own freedom and her daughter Lucy’s, having already aided her eldest daughter in escaping to a family friend in Canada. Read the passage. Then, answer the question(s). (1) . . . Slavery had no horror then for me, as I played about the place, with the same joyful freedom as the little white children. With mother, father and sister, a pleasant home and surroundings, what happier child than I! . . . (2) . . . After Mrs. Wash’s death, the troubles of my parents and their children may be said to have really commenced. (3) Though in direct opposition to the will of Major Berry, my father’s quondam1 master and friend, Judge Wash tore my father from his wife and children and sold him “way down South!” (4) Slavery! cursed slavery! what crimes has it invoked! and, oh! what retribution has a righteous God visited upon these traders in human flesh! The rivers of tears shed by us helpless ones, in captivity, were turned to lakes of blood! How often have we cried in our anguish, “Oh! Lord, how long, how long?” But the handwriting was on the wall, and tardy justice came at last and avenged the woes of an oppressed race! Chickamauga, Shiloh, Atlanta and Gettysburgh,2 spoke in thunder tones! John Brown’s body3 had indeed marched on, and we, the ransomed ones, glorify God and dedicate ourselves to His service, and acknowledge His greatness and goodness in rescuing us from such bondage as parts husband from wife, the mother from her children, aye, even the babe from her breast! . . . ____________________ 1 quondum: once, former 2 Chickamauga . . . Gettysburgh: Civil War battles 3 John Brown’s body: John Brown was a radical abolitionist about whom a popular Union marching song was written entitled “John Brown’s Body” 12. 13. In what way does this passage support an argument about the evils of slavery? Which type of persuasive appeal is used in the passage? “Liberty or Death,” Patrick Henry Read the passage. Then, answer the question(s). (1) . . .Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. (2) It is in vain, sir, to extenuate 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! . . . 14. The underlined word election has multiple meanings. What is its meaning as used in the passage? Address in Independence Hall, Abraham Lincoln Read the passage. Then, answer the question(s). . . . I am filled with deep emotion at finding myself standing here, in this place, where were collected together the wisdom, the patriotism, the devotion to principle, from which sprang the institutions under which we live. . . . 15. Underline the example of parallelism used in the passage. 16. What is the tone Lincoln achieves in this passage? “From the Darkness Cometh the Light, or Struggles for Freedom,” Lucy A. Delaney Read the passage. Then, answer the question(s). (1) Slavery! cursed slavery! what crimes has it invoked! and, oh! what retribution has a righteous God visited upon these traders in human flesh! The rivers of tears shed by us helpless ones, in captivity, were turned to lakes of blood! How often have we cried in our anguish, “Oh! Lord, how long, how long?” But the handwriting was on the wall, and tardy justice came at last and avenged the woes of an oppressed race! Chickamauga, Shiloh, Atlanta and Gettysburgh,1 spoke in thunder tones! John Brown’s body had indeed marched on, and we, the ransomed ones, glorify God and dedicate ourselves to His service, and acknowledge His greatness and goodness in rescuing us from such bondage as parts husband from wife, the mother from her children, aye, even the babe from her breast! __________________ 1 Chickamauga . . . Gettysburgh: Civil War battles 17. How does Delaney’s voice reveal her purpose for writing the passage?
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