Declaration Analysis Assignment | Declaration Analysis

In honor of America’s 244th birthday, I am offering you an opportunity to read the Declaration of Independence and complete a rhetorical analysis. This assignment will ask you to uncover how Thomas Jefferson (and the Continental Congress) used the rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos to justify America’s decision to break away from England and establish a new, sovereign nation.

*** Historical Note – Remember, this document was a formal announcement that was designed to justify America’s new status as a sovereign nation.  Its audiences included the King, Parliament, and people of England; the inhabitants of the 13 British colonies; the other nations of the world.  For a bit more on the background and context check out this article https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration/how-did-it-happen (Links to an external site.)

Directions:

Click here to access a downloadable copy of the Declaration      Declaration.pdfPreview the document
Read the Declaration and look for instances of argument by ethos, pathos, and logos – annotate and highlight the different appeals
Look over your annotated copy of the Declaration and determine the frequency of each type of appeal – for example, which of the three seems to be used most or least?
Compose an essay in which you:
explain how the document mobilizes each of the 3 types of appeals — ethos, pathos, logos (use examples)
make a claim as to the Declaration’s dominant appeal. Taken as a whole, was the Declaration constructed as an ethical, pathetic, or logical argument?  Defend your answer.
Submit using the blue button above.