Historical Context
“The Crisis” was written in this year
What is 1776?
“By cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils—a ravaged country—a depopulated city—habitations without safety, and slavery without hope […] Look on this picture, and weep over it!”
What is an emotional appeal?
Paine uses this persuasive technique to appeal to his audience’s fear and anger towards the British
What is an emotional appeal?
What is pathos?
Paine warned that these people would enslave the colonists if they lost the war
Who are the British?
Paine wanted this country to win the war
What is America?
This essay is Paine’s most important and influential work
What is “Common Sense?”
“I once felt all that kind of anger, which a man ought to feel, against the mean principles that are held by the Tories [...] Not a man lives on the Continent but fully believes that a separation must some time or other finally take place, and a generous parent would have said, ‘If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.’”
What is an ethical appeal?
Paine uses this persuasive technique to convince his audience that fighting against the British is the most logical decision in response to their tyranny
What is a logical appeal?
What is logos?
Thomas Paine used the examples of “summer soldiers” and “sunshine patriots” to show that some soldiers lacked this important quality
What is loyalty/patriotism?
Paine wrote “The Crisis” for this reason
What is motivating the people to fight against the British?
These people were the first to read "The Crisis"
What is the "Continental Army"?
“My own line of reasoning is to myself as strait and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief break into my house, burn and destroy my property, and kill or threaten to kill me, or those that are in it, and to bind me in all cases whatsoever, to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?”
What is a logical appeal?
Paine uses this persuasive technique to appeal to his audience’s morals, arguing that the most ethical choice is to fight against the British for future generations’ sake.
What is an ethical appeal?
What is ethos?
Paine referred to this man as a “no better than common murderer.”
Who is King George the Third?
Washington instructed his officers to read “The Crisis” for this reason
What is to improve morale?
Paine wrote with these people in mind which made him more appealing
What is the "Common Man"?
“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 is an aphorism?
Paine uses this persuasive technique to create memorable, powerful arguments which stay in his audience’s minds
What is an aphorism?
The line: “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph” persuaded the colonists valuable things like this come at a high price.
What is freedom?
Paine wrote "The Crisis" to debunk these types of arguments
What is loyalist/anti-revolutionary?
Paine supported the American colonies fighting against the British for this:
What is independence?
“Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but ‘to bind us in all cases whatsoever,’ [...] Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can only belong to God.”
What is an ethical appeal?
Paine uses this appeal to establish himself as a good person and therefore a credible source.
What is an ethical appeal?
What is ethos?
These three reasons were why Paine believed that Americans should stand up and fight
What are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
Paine believed that the “Common Man” should have these two things:
What is power and opportunity?