TA - In Defense of the Bible, William Jennings Bryan, 1925

1. What is the author arguing?

In this document that we read on In Defense of the Bible there is not one author but instead there are two people in a court room. In this case it was the Clarence Darrow who was the lawyer   and William Bryan who was testifying.  Clarence Darrow was trying to argue for evolution and in support for T. Scopes and William Bryan was defending the Bible and try to show through his answers that he did not believe in evolution.

2. How does the author appeal to logos (logic), pathos (emotional quality), and ethos (the writer’s perceived character) with their argument?

Well in this argument or debate at the court room I found that Clarence Darrow was not being very logic at all through the questions he was asking in the court room because certain questions that he asked could not have just been answered on the spot but would require scientist and time to answer one example was how long ago did the flood happen now know and having read the bible you cannot just in 30 sec say how long ago it was you would have to sit and do long calculations. Another thing that I found interesting was that I noticed that Clarence Darrow was trying to prove weather Bible was accurate or not but I not find any logic in that and through that and the way William Bryan was answering the questions he should his sense of humor and showed ethos and trying to show that through these questions you cannot get much out because Bible weather you want to believe it or not is based on faith weather you want to believe it or not. I see in this passage that Darrow through these questions he showed that he was trying to almost insult Williams Bryan.

3. What is the historical significance/relevance of this document?

This document is very significant and relevant because this was court and decision was battled for a long to show weather Biblical creation can be continued to be taught in school. Because I think that this was one of the main courts that might have been the start of evolution being taught in school.

4. Do you find the author’s argument convincing? Why or why not?

Looking at this argument I find that this was not convincing at all and that the questions that Darrow provided did not turn the conversation anywhere but was just a jumble of questions. I think that although his questions were focused but they did not help to prove weather evolution is true or not or weather the Bible is false or not. I fell that in these argument not much can be argued because if you believe and in evolution it is completely different then biblical teaching because biblical teaching is all based on faith and believing the in what the bible says and there is not much science in that; even though it is your choice. Faith is not something you can argue much about. 

CDL - Bolshevism

   This article was about conflicts that were going on in Russia about trying to have a communist country and the scare that went around Europe passed down to United States. Communism at the time had another name as Bolshevism because that was the one of the main parties name in Russia who were trying to make their government communist. In 1917 when Russians overthrew the Czar Nicholas II there became a new movement in Russia called the Marxist radicals or the Bolsheviks lead by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Europe saw their plan of trying to become communist and became frightened and called the United States for help to try to stop Russia. But as much as they tried the scare came to United States after the socialist formed an American Communist Party. Government saw the danger of it and put an attack on all communist and tried to stop anybody who showed any signs of being communist such as seeking better wages or equal rights from women and African Americans. This Communist (“Red”) menace had damage to American values and kept the American democracy from growing. 

1. Why do you think Europe was so scared of Russian movement of Communism or Bolshevism?

2. How and in what ways did the Red Scare affect the American democracy from growing?

CDL - What Did the Doughboys Find in FranceD

    When America decided to join World War II there was a need for American soldiers who were called the Doughboys. Around two million soldiers were sent out to France and what they were about to find there was not going to be anything pleasant. Most of the Doughboys saw the war as an adventure. Shortly after coming to France and living in the trenches their opinions quickly changed. The French soldiers were already prepared for this kind of warfare, but American Soldiers had to quickly be trained and adapt to the trench warfare weather they liked it or not there was not going back. For the Doughboys the only thing they can find in France was Inhospitality, contaminated trench holes, and a huge field called “no-mans land”. There was no sanitary they slept with lice, flies and rats together. Soon after being out in the battle field they go more use to this life and seeing deaths was just another sight which indicated for many, victory. The doughboys couldn’t wait until the war was over to be able to return if they would even be able to make it.

1. Why do you think the Doughboys that that War would be an adventure?

2. How do you think Doughboys felt and dealt with the change and adaptations that they had to the trench warfare?    

Woodrow Wilson; War Address April 1917

     In President Woodrow Wilsons address he is trying to convince the congress and show them the reasons of why they need to go into war. In this address he is saying that they have remained neutral for the past years but because Germany Submarines are attacking everyone’s ship without discrimination for the rights of the people they need, to make peace with the world not for there own selfish power. Woodrow Wilson show logic very well in his address by saying that we are not doing this out of excitement but because of vindication of human right, as well as he uses logic by saying that if we will be going to into war that this will cost a lot of money and that taxes will need to go up so that they can pay for the debts of the war and to make sure to use money wisely.  I see also that the author uses and shows pathos with ethos together. He shows his emotion through out the whole address and showing that he cares about people and the rights of the because that he is strive for there to be peace among the nations as well as showing is character to be a caring for people through out the address. This document for me is significant because it was said to congress to about making the decision of weather or not to step into war after trying to remain neutral; this was the Second World War. His speech was very convincing to me because he was arguing his points very clear and focusing on two main ideas: peace between all nations and rights of the people. He made good arguments that what the government was doing was beyond measure and that the reason for the war is to take the people of who are governing Germany not to make enemies with the people. He brought in arguments that what the submarines of Germany was not ok and having no mercy on people lives. Woodrow Wilson did a great job of talking and helping congress make the right decision.