Debate and Culture
Before he was assassinated, this political activist was known for his debates at college campuses with students.
Who is Charlie Kirk?
This is a debate term for the main point you are trying to make (and supporting with evidence).
What is a claim?
In a landmark February 2026 decision (Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump), the Supreme Court ruled the President could not use emergency powers to unilaterally impose these heavy taxes on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China.
What are Tariffs?
What is Alliteration?
"My opponent says we should improve the school lunch, but he’s wearing mismatched socks, so don't listen to him!"
What is Ad Hominem?
This man was known for his activism and well-spoken speeches during the Civil Rights Movement. His most iconic speech started "I have a dream..."
Who is MLK Jr?
This is the side that argues for the resolution.
What is the affirmative?
In the June 2025 case Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the Court examined a Texas law requiring websites that host sexually explicit content to legally verify this specific trait of their users.
This is a brief reference to an event, person, or thing.
What is an Allusion?
This fallacy occurs when you misrepresent your opponent's argument to make it easier to attack (like claiming they want to "ban all cars" when they only proposed a bike lane).
What is Strawman?
This sports player for the Los Angeles Lakers has frequently spoken out with his huge platform, often criticizing the Republican Party and President Trump.
Who is Lebron James?
What is a dropped argument?
The June 2025 ruling in City and County of San Francisco v. EPA significantly limited the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to enforce general pollution permits under this landmark 1972 environmental law.
What is the Clean Water Act?
These three methods of persuasion, known as the rhetorical triangle, are techniques used to convince an audience by appealing to credibility (character), emotion, and logic.
What are ethos, pathos, and logos?
"Climate change isn't real because it snowed in Texas last week." This fallacy takes one small example and applies it to the whole world.
What is a Hasty Generalization?
This series of 7 debates in 1858 was pivotal in creating the blueprint for debate.
What were the Lincoln Douglas Debates?
The period of time where you ask your opponents questions to try and break their argument.
What is a cross examination?
In the massive 2025 decision Trump v. CASA, the Supreme Court ruled that lower federal district judges no longer have the power to issue this type of sweeping, country-wide block on presidential executive orders.
What is a Nationwide Injunction?
The use of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness").
What is a Tricolon?
"My opponent says we should invest in space travel, but why does he hate the homeless people here on Earth?" This shifts the focus to a separate, easier-to-argue issue.
What is a Red Herring?
This man's most famous speech begins, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." It is considered one of the greatest rhetorical speeches of all time.
Who was Mark Antony?
What is a Disadvantage Argument?
In the 2025 case United States v. Skrmetti, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law banning puberty blockers for minors, ruling that the ban did not violate the Equal Protection Clause found in this Constitutional Amendment.
What is the 14th Amendment?
A strategy where a speaker understates a point to make it seem significant (often a double negative).
What is Litotes?
This Latin-named fallacy happens when someone assumes that because Event B happened after Event A, Event A must have caused Event B.
What is Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc?