NATIONAL
MATH + SCIENCE
INITIATIVE
English
Analyzing Rhetorical
Appeals in Lyndon
B. Johnson’s “The
American Promise”
Grade 9-10
Students will
analyze the development of a central idea in a
nonfiction text.
● analyze how a speaker or writer makes
connections between ideas.
● identify and analyze how a speaker or writer
creates appeals through the use of specific
rhetorical devices.
●
T E A C H E R
OBJECTIVES
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 1965 address to
Congress to urge passage of the Voting Rights
Act represents a key moment in the civil rights
movement as well as a culturally significant speech
in American letters. This lesson guides students
through a rhetorical analysis of an excerpt from the
speech, which is known as “The American Promise.”
Students will consider the structure of the argument,
but the primary focus of the lesson is to demonstrate
how writers and speakers use rhetorical techniques to
create appeals to persuade their audiences to adopt a
new position, take up a cause, or commit to a course
of action. While this lesson is highly scaffolded and
is designed as an introduction to rhetorical analysis,
the speech lends itself to more sophisticated analysis,
and teachers can use it with a variety of grade and
ability levels.
P A G E S
ABOUT THIS LESSON
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Image. President Lyndon B. Johnson by Arnold
Newman, White House Press Office (WHPO)
[Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
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i
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
TEXT COMPLEXITY
Passages for National Math and Science Initiative
(NMSI) English lessons are selected to challenge
students, while lessons and activities make texts
accessible. This excerpt has a readability measure
that places it within the 9-10 grade level band, but
due to the passage’s relatively short length and the
lesson’s scaffolding, the excerpt should be accessible
to younger students will guidance from the teacher.
Guided practice with challenging texts allows
students to gain the proficiency necessary to read
independently at or above grade level.
RI.9-10.3:
RI.9-10.4:
T E A C H E R
P A G E S
COGNITIVE RIGOR
English lessons for NMSI are designed to guide
students through a continuum of thinking skills,
including those outlined in the Revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
Levels. During this lesson, students will analyze the
organization and structure of an argument (DOK 2),
analyze how a writer or speaker uses techniques to
create persuasive appeals (DOK 3), and explain
how writers and speakers integrate multiple claims
and ideas to create a coherent argument (DOK 4).
Activities will require students to engage in all
thinking levels identified in the Revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy.
This lesson is included in Module 7: Understanding
Rhetorical Analysis.
CONNECTION TO COMMON
CORE STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
The activities in this lesson allow teachers to address
the following Common Core Standards:
Explicitly addressed in this lesson
RI.9-10.1: Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
RI.9-10.2: Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course
ii
RI.9-10.5:
RI.9-10.6:
RI.9-10.8:
W.9-10.9:
of the text, including its relationship to
supporting ideas; provide an objective
summary of the text.
Analyze how a text makes connections
among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g.,
through comparisons, analogies, or
categories).
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze the impact
of specific word choices on meaning
and tone, including analogies or
allusions to other texts.
Analyze in detail the structure of a
specific paragraph in a text, including
the role of particular sentences in
developing and refining a key concept.
Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose in a text and analyze how the
author acknowledges and responds to
conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and
the evidence is relevant and sufficient;
recognize when irrelevant evidence is
introduced.
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Implicitly addressed in this lesson
RI.9-10.10: By the end of grade 9, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in
the grades 9-10 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed
at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and
comprehend literary nonfiction in
the grades 9-10 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
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English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
CONNECTIONS TO AP*
College and career readiness standards dictate that
students must be able read complex texts, including
foundational and seminal texts in American
literature, independently and proficiently. Students
taking the AP English Language exam will be
expected to perform competent rhetorical analyses of
arguments and speeches, both on the multiple choice
and on the free response sections of the exam.
copies of the Student Activity
● highlighters
●
ASSESSMENTS
The following kinds of formative assessments are
embedded in this lesson:
guided questions
● frame statements
● writing task
●
A multiple choice assessment on an early speech
by President Johnson is available in the Assessment
section of the NMSI website.
T E A C H E R
P A G E S
*Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the
College Entrance Examination Board. The College Board was not
involved in the production of this material.
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
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iii
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
T
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
T E A C H E R
P A G E S
his lesson will take multiple class periods
to present. Students who are not proficient
readers will need more teacher guidance and
intervention as they read the excerpt. Because of the
difficulty of the passage, you may wish to guide the
first reading of the speech as a whole class.
Students who are unfamiliar with the civil rights
movement in U. S. history may need background
information about President Johnson’s address
to Congress in 1965. You may wish to begin this
lesson by discussing with students the events that
took place in Selma, Alabama, in March 1965,
which galvanized public opinion in support of the
civil rights movement and which led to President
Johnson’s speech to Congress in support of the
1965 Voting Rights Act. Depending on the time you
have available, you might have groups of students
research various aspects of the protests in Selma,
President Johnson’s and other civil rights leaders’
reactions to the events in Selma, and to the reception
and history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The
Library of Congress and PBS both have extensive
photograph, video, and article collections available
for teacher and student use on the subject and would
serve as appropriate beginning points for student
research.
Activity One
Analyze the prompt as a whole class. Spend time
brainstorming with students what “promises” our
country offers its citizens. Students may refer
to the promise of “life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness” alluded to in the Declaration of
Independence, or they may discuss concepts as
varied as the free market system, representative
democracy, or public education. You may ask
students to discuss the role of voting in our system
of government and whether they believe that part of
America’s promise to its citizens is the right to vote.
President Johnson’s speech is also referred to as
the “We Shall Overcome” speech, as Mr. Johnson
alludes to the song throughout his entire speech.
iv
Download the song and its lyrics to play for your
students, and ask them to speculate why it became
a significant and meaningful song for civil rights
protesters. Before they read the speech, have students
speculate why President Johnson might want to refer
to the song in a speech about voting rights.
Activity Two
Depending on the ability level of your students,
you may wish to have students read sections of this
excerpt out loud during their first encounter with
the text, or you may use a recording of the speech to
play for students. A recording of the President giving
the address is available on www.americanrhetoric.com in
the site’s online speech bank.
Given the passage’s length, consider having students
read the excerpt in sections. Guided questions
included in the margins can be used as part of a
whole class discussion, or you may assign them to be
completed by collaborative learning groups.
The questions help students focus on key words,
phrases, and allusions that help create persuasive
appeals. Be prepared to help students unpack the
allusions, which range from Biblical allusions to
allusions found in U.S. foundational documents. Ask
students to consider why Mr. Johnson would allude
to these sources when addressing Congress, and by
extension, the American people.
Activity Three
Consider completing Activity Three as a whole
group. Discuss with students the different purposes
writers and speakers have when addressing an
audience, including to entertain, to inform, to
describe, or to persuade. Be sure to acknowledge that
speakers and writers may have multiple purposes
when addressing an audience.
Activity Four
Activity Four may be completed over two or three
class periods. Begin by reviewing for students the
different types of appeals—logical, emotional,
and ethical. If this lesson represents students’
first encounter with the appeals, refer them to the
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English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Student Resource “Understanding the Appeals”
or to the student lesson “Analyzing Appeals in
Advertisements,” which can be found on the NMSI
website.
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T E A C H E R
Activity Five
Review the terms concession and counterargument
with students. Because these ideas may be new to
students, complete Activity Five as a whole group.
Discuss with students why speakers and writers may
wish to use counterarguments and concessions in
their works.
P A G E S
As students complete each part of the Activity, they
will encounter less scaffolding, so that when they
reach Part E, they will be working independently. If
you have a wide range of abilities in your classroom,
you may decide to have students who need more
support complete Parts A and B, and students who
need less support complete Parts C-E. You also
may decide to complete Parts A, B, and C together
as a whole group, and allow students working in
collaborative groups to finish the Activity more
independently.
v
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
T E A C H E R
P A G E S
vi
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NATIONAL
MATH + SCIENCE
INITIATIVE
Johnson addressed the nation [to explain why
Congress needed to pass his voting rights bill,
which was designed to protect the right to
vote for all citizens.] [The title of President
Johnson’s speech is “The American Promise,”
although many historians also call it the “We
Shall Overcome” speech.]
2. Answers will vary, but students may suggest
that Americans are promised “life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of
Independence. Students may also suggest that
Americans are promised various freedoms,
including freedom of religion and speech. Make
sure that students consider the idea of voting
rights during this discussion.
3. Answers will vary. Students may suggest
that the title implies that oppressed groups
will “overcome,” or rise above, the obstacles
that prevent them from sharing in America’s
promises to its citizens. Students might predict
that President Johnson alludes to the song
because he wants all Americans to overcome
the obstacles of racism and injustice.
4. Concrete devices: rhetorical techniques such as
allusions and connotative diction
Abstract idea: how Mr. Johnson persuades his
audience to support the Voting Rights Act.
Activity Two
Answers will vary. Suggested answers are
included below.
1. Dignity: being worthy of respect and honor
2. Lexington, Concord, and Appomattox are
important battlefields in the Revolutionary and
Civil Wars, and Selma is a battlefield in the
civil rights movement. All these locations are
associated with the fight for freedom—either
from a tyrannical government, from the horrors
3. The words in bold make us feel sympathy and
pity for the protestors in Selma by showing
that they are the victims of discrimination
and violence.
4. The President rejected the reaction of those
opposing voter registration reform by criticizing
their “pride” and “satisfaction” in denying
voting rights to American citizens. He finds
hope in that Congress is willing to engage in
debate on the Voting Rights Act.
5. to support and vote for the Voting Rights Act of
1965
6. The values are to right wrongs, seek justice, and
serve others.
7. The challenge presented by the civil rights
movement is one to American values and
identity. This challenge is difficult because it
threatens our sense of who we are as a people
and what we consider important.
P A G E S
Activity One
1. On [March 15, 1965,] President Lyndon B.
of slavery, or for the freedom to participate fully
in American democracy.
T E A C H E R
ANSWERS
English
8. Paraphrase: Individuals would achieve nothing
if they gave up their values and principles in
order to win something. Mr. Johnson uses this
allusion to suggest that if Americans give up
our values and principles, we would fail as a
nation.
9. “All men are created equal”—Declaration of
Independence
“government by consent of the governed”—
Declaration of Independence
“give me liberty or give me death”—Patrick
Henry’s Speech to the Virginia Convention
10. Answers will vary. Mr. Johnson argues that
dignity comes from all individuals having equal
opportunities to participate in society. This is an
extension of the denotative meaning of the word
dignity, which means being worthy of respect
and honor.
11. Men and women are kept from voting because
of their race. He uses the word “harsh” to
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vii
English—Rhetorical Appeals as Stepping Stones to Deeper Meaning
describe his sense that this situation is not fair.
12. The purpose of Paragraphs 18 and 19 is to
describe the problem so others can see how
unfairly African Americans are being treated by
voter registration workers.
13. He suggests that the only way to pass the unfair
tests is to be white.
14. Congress
15. They should pass the Voting Rights Act because
they swore an oath to defend the Constitution,
and the Constitution states that no one should
be denied the right to vote based on their race or
skin color.
T E A C H E R
P A G E S
16. The President repeats these specific words
to emphasize the urgency and importance of
Congress’s task. They cannot let obstacles such
as hesitation or compromise derail them from
their mission to fight injustice.
17. He asks them to support the bill.
18. The President alludes to the song to suggest
that all Americans must overcome bigotry and
injustice, as all Americans are hurt by such
attitudes and behaviors.
Activity Three
In “The American Promise,” President
Johnson’s purpose is to persuade Congress to
pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Activity Four
Part A
Answers will vary, but direct students to find
instances where the President discusses why denying
all people voting rights is a rejection of American
values or is an injustice. Suggested responses are
included below:
● America
was founded with the purpose of
providing liberty and equality to its citizens.
By denying the right to vote to all people,
we are rejecting the values upon which we
are founded. (Paragraph 12)
viii
● In
many parts of the country, people are
denied the right to vote because of the
color of their skin, which is an injustice.
(Paragraph 17)
● The current laws do not protect all citizens’
rights if leaders are intent on denying them,
which is an injustice. (Paragraph 21)
Part B
1. allusions, connotative diction, repetition
2. Answers will vary. Students potentially could
create statements using any of the sentence
starters.
3. Answers will vary. Students may discuss how
the emotional appeal helps make the audience
want to make sure all citizens are treated fairly
and justly.
Part C
1. . . . to believe that all American citizens need to
be treated fairly.
2. Answers will vary.
3. allusions, connotative diction, repetition
4. emotional appeal
5. Johnson argues that individuals are treated with
dignity when they are given equal opportunities
and freedom to follow their dreams.
6. Answers will vary. Students should discuss how
the President appeals to the audience’s sense of
fairness and justice.
Part D
1. Answers will vary. Students should discuss how
the President wishes his audience to understand
how unfair the “tests” are that voter registration
workers use to deny citizens their right to vote.
2. Answers will vary.
3. examples and facts
4. logical appeal
5. To support this particular claim, Mr. Johnson
needs to provide specific facts and evidence to
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English—Rhetorical Appeals as Stepping Stones to Deeper Meaning
prove that current laws do not protect citizens’
right to vote.
Part E
1. Claim 3: All Americans must work to overcome
the barriers of bigotry and injustice; this is not
only a problem for African American citizens.
2. The speaker wants listeners to adopt the cause
of the civil rights movement. This section of the
speech is a call to action.
3. Devices: allusion, connotative diction
Textual evidence: allusion—“we shall
overcome” (Paragraph 28); connotative diction:
“blessings” (Paragraph 26), “crippling (legacy)”
(Paragraph 27)
Activity Five
1. b.Some individuals might say that America
already has laws in place to combat voter
registration fraud. The President argues
that these laws are ineffective because local
voting officials do not support or enforce
them.
T E A C H E R
5. This appeal is designed to inspire and motivate
the audience to support the Voting Rights Act
specifically and the civil rights movement in
general.
P A G E S
4. emotional appeal
1. c.Some individuals may claim that Congress
should wait and not rush through the Voting
Rights Act, or that Congress should offer
States compromises that would weaken the
Voting Rights Act. The President argues that
“the time for waiting is gone,” as African
Americans have waited more than 100 years
for justice.
2. The President’s emphasis on “no delay . . .
no hesitation . . .no compromise” demonstrates
his commitment to this cause and the firmness
of his convictions. The repeated words “no” and
“not” sets up his expectation that Congress must
support the Voting Rights Act.
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ix
English—Rhetorical Appeals as Stepping Stones to Deeper Meaning
T E A C H E R
P A G E S
x
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NATIONAL
MATH + SCIENCE
INITIATIVE
English
Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals
in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Activity One: Analyzing the Prompt
Read the writing prompt below:
On March 15, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson addressed the nation to explain why Congress needed
to pass his voting rights bill, which was designed to protect the right to vote for all citizens. The title of
President Johnson’s speech is “The American Promise,” although many historians also call it the “We Shall
Overcome” speech.
Read the excerpt from “The American Promise” carefully. Then, write a response in which you analyze
how Johnson uses rhetorical techniques such as allusions and connotative diction to persuade his audience
to support the Voting Rights Act. Be sure to support your analysis with evidence from the text.
1. Put brackets around any background information included in the prompt.
2. What do you think is the “American Promise” to which President Johnson is referring? List three ideas
you think that the United States “promises” its citizens:
●
●
●
3. “We Shall Overcome” is the name of a gospel song that civil rights protesters in the 1960s used as an
anthem, or symbolic song, of their movement. Search for the song’s lyrics on the Internet and/or listen
to the song.
●
After hearing the lyrics, write a sentence or two that explains why civil rights protesters would
have adopted the song as their anthem.
●
Predict why historians may also use the title “We Shall Overcome” when referring to the
President’s speech.
4. What will be the focus of your essay? In the prompt above, underline concrete devices and circle the
abstract idea you will have to discuss.
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1
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Activity Two: Reading the Speech
Read the following excerpt from President Johnson’s speech “The American Promise.” As you read,
make note of different rhetorical devices such as diction, details, repetitions, and allusions that help create
persuasive appeals. In the right column, write your reactions to the speech and answer the questions
associated with the bold type.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, Members of Congress:
(1) I speak tonight for the dignity of man and the
destiny of democracy.
(2) I urge every member of both parties, Americans of all
religions and of all colors, from every section of this country,
to join me in that cause.
(3) At times history and fate meet at a single time in
a single place to shape a turning point in man’s unending
search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord.
So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last
week in Selma, Alabama.
(4) There, long-suffering men and women peacefully
protested the denial of their rights as Americans. Many were
brutally assaulted. One good man, a man of God, was killed.
(5) There is no cause for pride in what has happened in
Selma. There is no cause for self-satisfaction in the long
denial of equal rights of millions of Americans. But there
is cause for hope and for faith in our democracy in what is
happening here tonight.
(6) For the cries of pain and the hymns and protests of
oppressed people have summoned into convocation all the
majesty of this great Government—the Government of the
greatest Nation on earth.
(7) Our mission is at once the oldest and the most
basic of this country: to right wrong, to do justice, to
serve man.
(8) In our time we have come to live with moments of
great crisis. Our lives have been marked with debate about
great issues; issues of war and peace, issues of prosperity
and depression. But rarely in any time does an issue lay bare
the secret heart of America itself. Rarely are we met with a
challenge, not to our growth or abundance, our welfare
or our security, but rather to the values and the purposes
and the meaning of our beloved Nation.
(9) The issue of equal rights for American Negroes is
such an issue. And should we defeat every enemy, should
we double our wealth and conquer the stars, and still be
unequal to this issue, then we will have failed as a people
and as a nation.
2
1. Define dignity:
2. How does the idea
of freedom connect
the locations listed in
Paragraph 3?
3. What is the
connotative effect
of the bold words in
Paragraph 4?
4. What group of
people is he addressing
in Paragraph 5. What is
Johnson’s point?
5. Convocation
means “a gathering
of people.” What
issue has brought
together “this great
Government”?
6. What values does
Johnson identify in
Paragraph 7?
7. What challenge to
America’s values does
Johnson identify in
Paragraphs 8 and 9?
Why is this challenge
difficult?
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English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
(10) For with a country as with a person, “What is
a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and
lose his own soul?”
(11) There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern
problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only
an American problem. And we are met here tonight as
Americans—not as Democrats or Republicans—we are met
here as Americans to solve that problem.
(12) This was the first nation in history of the world to
be founded with a purpose. The great phrases of that purpose
still sound in every American heart, North and South: “All
men are created equal”—“government by consent of the
governed”—“give me liberty or give me death.” Well,
those are not just clever words, or those are not just empty
theories. In their name Americans have fought and died for
two centuries, and tonight around the world they stand there
as guardians of our liberty, risking their lives.
(13) Those words are a promise to every citizen that
he shall share in the dignity of man. This dignity cannot
be found in a man’s possessions; it cannot be found in his
power, or in his position. It really rests on his right to be
treated as a man equal in opportunity to all others. It says
that he shall share in freedom, he shall choose his leaders,
educate his children, and provide for his family according to
his ability and his merits as a human being.
(14) To apply any other test—to deny a man his hopes
because of his color or race, his religion or the place of his
birth—is not only to do injustice, it is to deny America and
to dishonor the dead who gave their lives for American
freedom.
(15) Our fathers believed that if this noble view of the
rights of man was to flourish, it must be rooted in democracy.
The most basic right of all was the right to choose your own
leaders. The history of this country, in large measure, is the
history of the expansion of that right to all of our people.
(16) Many of the issues of civil rights are very complex
and most difficult. But about this there can and should be no
argument. Every American citizen must have an equal right
to vote. There is no reason which can excuse the denial of
that right. There is no duty which weighs more heavily on us
than the duty we have to ensure that right.
(17) Yet the harsh fact is that in many places in this
country men and women are kept from voting simply
because they are Negroes.
(18) Every device of which human ingenuity is capable
has been used to deny this right. The Negro citizen may go
to register only to be told that the day is wrong, or the hour
8. The biblical
allusion in paragraph
10 comes from
Matthew 16:26.
Paraphrase this verse
and explain why
Johnson refers to it
in his speech about
equal voting rights for
all citizens.
9. Identify the
origins of the three
historical allusions in
Paragraph 12.
10. How does
Johnson define
dignity in Paragraph
13? Compare this
definition to the one
you identified in
Question 1.
11. What problem
does Johnson identify
in Paragraph 17?
Which word describes
how he feels about
this problem?
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3
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
is late, or the official in charge is absent. And if he persists,
and if he manages to present himself to the registrar, he may
be disqualified because he did not spell out his middle name
or because he abbreviated a word on the application.
(19) And if he manages to fill out an application he
is given a test. The registrar is the sole judge of whether
he passes this test. He may be asked to recite the entire
Constitution, or explain the most complex provisions of
State law. And even a college degree cannot be used to prove
that he can read and write.
(20) For the fact is that the only way to pass these
barriers is to show a white skin.
(21) Experience has clearly shown that the existing
process of law cannot overcome systematic and ingenious
discrimination. No law that we now have on the books—
and I helped put three of them there—can ensure the
right to vote when local officials are determined to deny
it.
(22) In such a case our duty must be clear to all of
us. The Constitution says that no person shall be kept
from voting because of his race or his color. We have all
sworn an oath before God to support and defend that
Constitution. We must now act in obedience to that oath.
(23) . . . This time, on this issue, there must be no delay,
no hesitation and no compromise with our purpose.
(24) We cannot, we must not, refuse to protect the right
of every American to vote in every election that he may
desire to participate in. And we ought not and we cannot
and we must not wait another 8 months before we get a bill.
We have already waited a hundred years and more, and the
time for waiting is gone.
(25) So I ask you to join me in working long hours—
nights and weekends if necessary—to pass this bill. And I
don’t make that request lightly. For from the window where I
sit with the problems of our country I recognize that outside
this chamber is the outraged conscience of a nation, the
grave concern of many nations, and the harsh judgment of
history on our acts.
(26) But even if we pass this bill, the battle will not
be over. What happened in Selma is part of a far larger
movement which reaches into every section and State of
America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for
themselves the full blessings of American life.
(27) Their cause must be our cause too. Because it is not
just Negroes, but really it is all of us, who must overcome
the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice.
(28) And we shall overcome.
4
12. What is the
purpose of Paragraphs
18 and 19?
13. In Paragraph 20,
what conclusion does
Johnson draw about
voting registration?
14. In Paragraph
22, who specifically
has sworn an oath
to support the
Constitution?
15. Why does
Johnson believe his
primary audience
should act to pass the
Voting Rights Act?
16. What idea
connects the
underlined words and
phrases in Paragraphs
23 and 24?
17. In Paragraph 25,
what does Johnson
ask his primary
audience to do?
18. Why do you think
Johnson makes an
allusion to the song
“We Shall Overcome”
in Paragraph 28?
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English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Activity Three: Understanding the Speaker’s Purpose
The first step in performing a rhetorical analysis is determining the speaker’s or author’s purpose for making
his or her argument.
An author’s purpose refers to the reason why a writer or speaker decides to discuss or address
a particular topic. An author or speaker may want to entertain his or her audience, to inform the
audience about an issue, to describe something unfamiliar or complicated, or to persuade the
audience to adopt a position. Depending on his or her argument, the author or speaker may have
multiple purposes.
In “The American Promise,” President Johnson clearly states his purpose in paragraph 25. In your own
words, write President Johnson’s purpose below:
In “The American Promise,” President Johnson’s purpose is to
(describe, inform, entertain, persuade)
to
(What specific audience or audiences is the President addressing?)
(What does the President want to accomplish in his speech?)
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5
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Activity Four: Developing Central Ideas and Persuasive Appeals
President Johnson offers reasons and creates persuasive appeals to support the claims in his argument.
A claim is a debatable or controversial statement the speaker or writer intends to prove with evidence.
Part A: The following statement is one of the claims Johnson makes in his speech:
Claim 1: The issue of voting rights for African American citizens challenges America’s values and denying
this right to all citizens is an injustice.
Johnson offers his audience several justifications to suggest why Claim 1 is true. Look at the specific
paragraphs noted in the bulleted list below, and write two additional justifications that support Claim 1.
●
Paragraph 7: As Americans, it is our duty to right social wrongs and to pursue justice for all
people, and not allowing African Americans to register to vote is an injustice.
●
Paragraphs 12-14:
●
Paragraphs 16-17: ●
Paragraph 22: The Constitution says that no one must be kept from voting because of his/her race
or skin color. If Congress does not defend the Constitution, their inaction will lead to injustice.
Part B: To support their arguments, speakers and writers use different rhetorical techniques, including
allusions, connotative diction, and repetition, in order to create appeals that persuade the audience to adopt a
certain position or to act in a specific way.
Three Types of Appeals
● Logical appeal (logos)—The writer or speaker appeals to the audience’s logic by constructing a
well-reasoned argument. Logical appeals use devices such as statistics, facts, research, and reason to
persuade the audience.
6
●
Emotional appeal (pathos)—The speaker or writer appeals to the audience’s emotions. Emotional
appeals use style devices such as imagery, sound devices, figurative language, and word choice to
appeal to the audience’s emotions or feelings.
●
Ethical appeal (ethos)—The speaker or writer appeals to the audience’s trust by establishing
his credibility or trustworthiness as a writer or speaker. An ethical appeal relies on the character,
reputation, or expertise of the writer to give the argument validity or persuasiveness.
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English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Reread Paragraphs 3 and 10 from President Johnson’s speech, which contain information that helps support
Claim 1.
(3) At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in
man’s unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was a century ago at
Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama.
(10) For with a country as with a person, “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul?”
The rhetorical techniques in these paragraphs create an emotional appeal.
1. Circle the specific rhetorical techniques Johnson uses in these examples.
allusions
connotative diction
images
figures of speech
repetition
statistics
2. Choose one of the following emotions you believe is suggested by the emotional appeal and complete
the sentence:
The speaker wants his listeners . . .
to be proud that to be angry about to feel concerned about
to feel outraged about to feel regretful about 3. Explain how this appeal helps support Claim 1.
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7
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Part C: Reread Paragraphs 12-14, which contains information that helps support Claim 1.
(12) This was the first nation in the history of the world to be founded with a purpose. The great
phrases of that purpose still sound in every American heart, North and South: “All men are created
equal”—“government by consent of the governed”—“give me liberty or give me death.” Well, those
are not just clever words, or those are not just empty theories. In their name Americans have fought and
died for two centuries, and tonight around the world they stand there as guardians of our liberty, risking
their lives.
(13) Those words are a promise to every citizen that he shall share in the dignity of man. This dignity
cannot be found in a man’s possessions; it cannot be found in his power, or in his position. It really rests
on his right to be treated as a man equal in opportunity to all others. It says that he shall share in freedom,
he shall choose his leaders, educate his children, and provide for his family according to his ability and his
merits as a human being.
(14) To apply any other test—to deny a man his hopes because of his color or race, his religion or the
place of his birth—is not only to do injustice, it is to deny America and to dishonor the dead who gave their
lives for American freedom.
1. Choose one of the following ideas suggested in the paragraphs and complete the sentence:
The speaker wants his listeners . . .
to have facts that support his argument.
to trust that he is a credible and trustworthy speaker.
to believe that all American citizens need to be treated fairly.
2. Highlight or underline words or phrases that help support your understanding of the speaker’s purpose
in Paragraphs 12-14.
3. Below, circle the specific rhetorical techniques Johnson uses in these examples you identified in
Paragraphs 12-14.
allusions
connotative diction
images
figures of speech
4. What type of appeal is created by these devices? a/an repetition
statistics
appeal.
5. The bold words in paragraph 12 are historical allusions that help define the concept of dignity of man.
What values are promoted by the bold words in paragraph 12? How do these values support the concept
of dignity of man?
6. In your answer, discuss whether the appeal is an effective support for Johnson’s argument.
8
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English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Part D: Consider another claim Johnson makes in his speech:
Claim 2: The laws in place prior to 1965 do not protect the right to vote for all citizens.
Reread paragraphs 18-21. Underline information that supports Claim 2.
18) Every device of which human ingenuity is capable has been used to deny this right. The Negro
citizen may go to register only to be told that the day is wrong, or the hour is late, or the official in
charge is absent. And if he persists, and if he manages to present himself to the registrar, he may be
disqualified because he did not spell out his middle name or because he abbreviated a word on the
application.
(19) And if he manages to fill out an application he is given a test. The registrar is the sole judge
of whether he passes this test. He may be asked to recite the entire Constitution, or explain the most
complex provisions of State law. And even a college degree cannot be used to prove that he can read
and write.
(20) For the fact is that the only way to pass these barriers is to show a white skin.
(21) Experience has clearly shown that the existing process of law cannot overcome systematic and
ingenious discrimination.
1. Complete the sentences below:
In Paragraphs 18-21, the speaker wants his listeners . . .
●
to understand
●
to believe
2. Highlight or underline words or phrases that help support your understanding of the speaker’s purpose
in Paragraphs 18-21.
3. Below, circle the specific rhetorical techniques Johnson uses in these examples you identified in
Paragraphs 18-21.
allusions
connotative diction
images
figures of speech
repetition
statistics
4. What type of appeal is created by the rhetorical techniques you identified? 5. Below, evaluate how well this type of appeal helps support Claim 2.
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9
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Part E
1. Identify a third claim made by the President in Paragraphs 26-28:
2. Complete the sentence below:
In Paragraphs 26-27, the speaker wants his listeners . . .
3. In the left column below, identify any rhetorical devices used by the President. In the right column, list
any textual evidence that illustrates that device.
Device
Textual Evidence
4. What type of appeal is created by the textual evidence you cited in the boxes above?
5. Explain how this appeal helps support the claim you identified.
10
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English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
Activity Five: Understanding Counterarguments and Conflicting Viewpoints
In order to make an effective argument, writers and speakers must consider all sides of the issue. When used
correctly, concessions and counterarguments can demonstrate that a speaker is reasonable and informed.
A concession is a respectful acknowledgment of an opposing viewpoint. By recognizing and fairly
summarizing an opposing viewpoint, the writer or speaker is seen as logical and fair-minded.
A counterargument follows the concession and strong counters or refutes the opposition’s evidence.
Counterarguments explain why the other side’s argument is not accurate or appropriate.
Reread Paragraphs 11, 21, 23, and 24.
(11) There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem.
There is only an American problem. And we are met here tonight as Americans—not as Democrats or
Republicans—we are met here as Americans to solve that problem.
(21) Experience has clearly shown that the existing process of law cannot overcome systematic and
ingenious discrimination. No law that we now have on the books—and I helped put three of them there—
can ensure the right to vote when local officials are determined to deny it.
(23) . . . This time, on this issue, there must be no delay, no hesitation and no compromise with our
purpose.
(24) We cannot, we must not, refuse to protect the right of every American to vote in every election that
he may desire to participate in. And we ought not and we cannot and we must not wait another 8 months
before we get a bill. We have already waited a hundred years and more, and the time for waiting is gone.
1. How does each paragraph help address a conflicting viewpoint or a counterargument that could be
delivered by individuals who do not agree with the President? In the space below, write a few sentences
that describe the conflicting viewpoint and Johnson’s response.
a. Paragraph 11:Some individuals might say that the problem of African American voting rights does
not affect the majority of people in the country, so we do not need to worry about it or to create new
laws to address it. President Johnson offers a counterargument by suggesting that providing equal
voting rights for all citizens is an American problem, not a problem for one group of people.
b. Paragraph 21:
c. Paragraphs 23 and 24:
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11
English—Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Lyndon B. Johnson’s “The American Promise”
2. Paragraphs 23 and 24 introduce an emotional appeal with the phrases “no delay, no hesitation, and no
compromise” in paragraph 23 and the phrases “ought not” and “cannot” and “must not” in paragraph 24.
Explain the effect of these phrases on Johnson’s counterargument.
12
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