1.

Breaking Free: Module Introduction

Prompt: Describe two key events that led colonists to declare independence from
England as if you were an eyewitness to those events.

Entry:
In 1770, a riot broke out in Boston where the colonists protested against the unfair taxes
the British set on us. It didn’t work out for the protesters because the British soldiers
retaliated and shot 5 of the protesters. This event sparked more people to fight for our
independence.
In 1774 came the Intolerable Acts, which was to punish us for the recent
protests, including the Boston Tea Party. They set 4 unfair laws like the Boston Port Act,
which closed access to the Boston Harbor. The Intolerable Acts angered us and made
us desire independence.

2. Liberty or Death: Henry

Prompt: How was Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech
instrumental in starting the American Revolution? Copy/Paste two examples of
rhetorical devices from his speech and explain why you think they were effective.

Entry:
Patrick Henry's speech persuades the colonists and the legislators to fight for their
independence now and not wait. In his speech, he uses Rhetorical Questions and
Repetition to get his point across. In the fourth paragraph of his speech, he says, "But
when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week or the next year? Will it be when we
are disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house"? This device
is effective because it convinces people to fight now. Another rhetorical device is
repetition. In the third, he repeats the phrase, "We must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must
fight"! This is also effective because it gets his point across not to stay silent any longer
and to fight. Both examples used share the same issue, which is to fight, but it's
effective because repeating signals the colonists and legislators to stop waiting and
staying silent and to fight now.

3. Declaring a Nation: Multiple Authors

Prompt: The Declaration of Independence could be considered the colonists’ “breakup
letter” to King George III. It lists ‘abuses and usurpations” that build a case for why they
believe their basic human rights are being violated and they want to end the
“relationship.” Use 3 reasons from this document and convert it to a modern-day
one-line breakup text.

Example:
Original Wording: “He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual,
uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole
purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.”

My Text:

Entry: (Note: You can just type below. You do not need to create a text message
image like the one above.)
Original Wording: “He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without
the Consent of our legislatures”.
My Text: You always go behind my back, talking to other girls without permission!

Original Wording: “For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:”
My Text:I'm breaking up with you for not letting me buy my things with my money!

Original Wording: “He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual,
uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole
purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures”.
My Text: You have gaslighted everyone to think I'm the problem, but in reality, you are.

4. The New Statesmen: Franklin

Prompt: The excerpts from Franklin’s Autobiography use various text structures and
persuasive techniques to encourage prospective immigrants to come to America. In the
following passage, he compares and contrasts opportunities in Europe with those in
America.
“In the old longsettled countries of Europe, all arts, trades, professions, farms, etc. are
so full that it is difficult for a poor man who has children, to place them where they may
gain, or learn to gain a decent livelihood. The artisans, who fear creating future rivals in
business, refuse to take apprentices, but upon conditions of money, maintenance or the
like, which the parents are unable to comply with. Hence the youth are dragged up in
ignorance of every gainful art, and obliged to become soldiers or servants or thieves, for
a subsistence.

In America the rapid increase of inhabitants takes away that fear of rivalship, & artisans
willingly receive apprentices from the hope of profit by their labour during the remainder
of the time stipulated after they shall be instructed. Hence it is easy for poor families to
get their children instructed; for the artisans are so desirous of apprentices, that many of
them will even give money to the parents to have boys from ten to fifteen years of age
bound apprentices to them till the age of twenty one; and many poor parents have by
that means, on their arrival in the country, raised money enough to buy land sufficient to
establish themselves, and to subsist the rest of their family by agriculture.”

How might his example of opportunities in America change if he were writing this today?

Entry:
In Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, he explains how opportunities for low-income
families were back then. For example, the youth could be apprentices and earn money
so that one day, they could buy land to raise their family and livestock. Today,
low-income families can also have an education by attending a community college or
taking out a university loan and having a part-time or full-time job. They can work their
way up, and with a good education, they can have a good job like a nurse or a
construction worker and provide a place to live and other opportunities for their children.

5. An Unlikely Poet: Wheatley

Prompt: Explain why Phillis Wheatly’s literary accomplishments are notable and
unusual for this time period.

Copy/paste a poem from this lesson that resonated with you. Explain your choice.

Entry:
Back then, African Americans could not read or write and weren’t even granted an
education. Phillis Wheatly was the first African American to be able to read and write.
So that's why her literary accomplishments were unusual in her time.

A poem of hers that resonated with me was “Thoughts on the Works of Providence '',
because it talks about the beauty of God and praising him. She uses a lot of imagery
and Figurative Language in her poem so that I can feel what she felt while writing. An
example of Figurative Language is the Personification used in the first stanza, “Or the
sun slumbers in the ocean's arms.” Personification is used to describe the sunset by
using human qualities. I think she is praising God for how he created the works of
nature.

Arise, my soul, on wings enraptur'd, rise

To praise the monarch of the earth and skies,
Whose goodness and beneficence appear
As round its centre moves the rolling year,
Or when the morning glows with rosy charms,
Or the sun slumbers in the ocean's arms:
Of light divine be a rich portion lent
To guide my soul, and favour my intent.
Celestial muse, my arduous flight sustain,
And raise my mind to a seraphic strain!

Ador'd for ever be the God unseen,

Which round the sun revolves this vast machine,
Though to his eye its mass a point appears:
Ador'd the God that whirls surrounding spheres,
Which first ordain'd that mighty Sol should reign
The peerless monarch of th' ethereal train:
Of miles twice forty millions is his height,
And yet his radiance dazzles mortal sight
So far beneath from him th' extended earth
Vigor derives, and ev'ry flow'ry birth:
Vast through her orb she moves with easy grace
Around her Phoebus in unbounded space;
True to her course th' impetuous storm derides
Triumphant o'er the winds, and surging tides.

Almighty, in these wond'rous works of thine,

What Pow'r, what Wisdom, and what Goodness shine?
And are thy wonders, Lord, by men explor'd,
And yet creating glory unador'd!

Creation smiles in various beauty gay,

While day to night, and night succeeds to day:
That Wisdom, which attends Jehovah's ways,
Shines most conspicuous in the solar rays:
Without them, destitute of heat and light,
This world would be the reign of endless night:
In their excess how would our race complain,
Abhorring life! how hate its length'ned chain!
From air adust what num'rous ills would rise?
What dire contagion taint the burning skies?
What pestilential vapors, fraught with death,
Would rise, and overspread the lands beneath?

Hail, smiling morn, that from the orient main *

Ascending dost adorn the heav'nly plain!
So rich, so various are thy beauteous dies,
That spread through all the circuit of the skies,
That, full of thee, my soul in rapture soars,
And thy great God, the cause of all adores.

O'er beings infinite his love extends,

His Wisdom rules them, and his Pow'r defends.
When tasks diurnal * tire the human frame,
The spirits faint, and dim the vital flame,
Then too that ever active bounty shines,
Which not infinity of space confines.
The sable veil, that Night in silence draws,
Conceals effects, but shews th' Almighty Cause;
Night seals in sleep the wide creation fair,
And all is peaceful but the brow of care.
Again, gay Phoebus, as the day before,
Wakes ev'ry eye, but what shall wake no more;
Again the face of nature is renew'd,
Which still appears harmonious, fair, and good.
May grateful strains salute the smiling morn,
Before its beams the eastern hills adorn!
Shall day to day and night to night conspire
To show the goodness of the Almighty Sire?
This mental voice shall man regardless hear,
And never, never raise the filial pray'r?
To-day, O hearken, nor your folly mourn
For time mispent, that never will return.

6. Module Reflection
Prompt: Use this entry in a way that works best for you to reflect on your learning and
experience in this module. Use one or more of the following questions to write your
reflection:
★ What did you do well or how did you excel? Why?
★ What particular assignments/discussions/concepts most interested you?
★ What is one takeaway that you will take with you into REAL LIFE?
★ What did you struggle with? Why?
★ What is something you would like to improve on or do better next time?
★ Is there something you wish you had asked for help with?
★ I would like to give myself a pat on the back for….

Entry:
I think I did well in this module because I understood it. This module was about fighting
for freedom and showing what independence or the American Dream looks like. Many
people then used Rhetoric to persuade the legislators and colonists that they should
fight for their freedom. Like Patrick Henry’s speech “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.”
His speech was to call for armed resistance against the British and to get up and fight
now. He was successful in persuading because it helped spark the American
Revolution.
In Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, he helped show what freedom for
Americans looks like by comparing the opportunities for the underprivileged in Europe
and America. He explains that the disadvantaged youth in America can be instructed
and be an apprentice to earn money so one day they can live their dream. Franklin
describes the American Dream: working hard to do what you want. That is what I
learned in this module, the Art of Persuasion, and how Americans felt when they first
discovered their liberty and independence from Great Britain.