Fighting the War of Words
The American Revolution, 1760- 1800, was not only a war of weapons but also one of words. Along with swords and guns, the war was fought with pamphlets, speeches, and documents in order to inspire and justify the long awaited battle. Intellectuals such as Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, and Thomas Jefferson became important figures of the Revolution due to their literary accomplishments. Henry's Speech in the Virginia Convention convinced the House of Burgesses that war was inevitable; Paine reached the common people through The Crisis, Number 1 and sparked an inspiration for war; Jefferson justified and announced the war through The Declaration of Independence. By appealing to the emotions of the different Revolutionary audiences, Henry, Paine, and Jefferson made essential contributions to the war using speeches and documents as powerful weapons. Patrick Henry made a profound speech to the Virginian Convention as the Revolutionary War drew near. His main purpose in the speech was to convince the convention that war was inevitable. He challenged their beliefs and evoked emotion through his argument. In the beginning of his speech, Henry asked "Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and
Hodgins, Francis., et al. Adventures in American Literature. Orlando, San Diego, Chicago, Dallas: HBJ, 1989. Similarly, Thomas Paine spoke to the American people through his written pamphlet, The Crisis, Number 1. This pamphlet addressed the common citizens; it was an appeal to all colonists so that he could encourage them to fight. At the time this pamphlet was written, many Americans felt discouraged and worried about the looming war. In his writing Paine stated "these are the times that try mens 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" (95). This was a call to arms for the truly loyal; because these times were hard, it was most important to show loyalty. Paine, wrote his pamphlet in a personal manner soliciting feelings of pity from the colonists. He told a story of a man speaking in a tavern: "If there must be in trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace" (95). This was a call to those with children, to bring out pity for their children and "awaken every man to duty" (95). He provokes the desire for peace in the future, and therefore encourages the colonist to fight. In another similar passage that addressed home life, Paine compared the British to a thief in a house, threatening the safety of home and family, and underlined that men as the head of the household, hold themselves responsible for the security of their home and family. Paine's analogy put men on the defense, concerned for the well-being of their family. Paine knew his audience well and he understood their common concerns, both for and against the war. Colonists that felt pity from his arguments would begin to take action for the cause. Paine pushed colonists to act in favor of the Revolutionary War by threatening what they held most dear to them. These literary accomplishments produced by Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson inspired and evoked the emotions of not only the intellectual leaders and common people but also the entire world. This technique of
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Approximate Word count = 1438
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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