Ammunition of Words

Ammunition of Words
Swords clash, black powder ignites and bayonets tear through cloth and flesh. The battles with arms started in 1775 but the war with the most powerful weapon started long before. With an armory of vocabulary and rhetoric, the speakers of the time changed the outcome of the American Revolution. Jeff Shaara clearly shows this throughout his novel Rise to Rebellion, a historical fiction showing the American Revolution through the perspective of those who had a major part in the revolution.
Follow the Leader
Rise to Rebellion gives a vivid picture of how Whig leaders began to incite the colonists to rebel against their mother country. Whigs wanted to establish their own country once they realized they were being abused by England. The colonies had no representation in Parliament and the British armies would often take advantage of colonists. The Whigs needed to acquire a massive number of followers to be able to face the powerful British army. The most effective method of doing this was by organizing town meetings. These organized meetings had many speakers giving the attendants something to think about; they instilled raw emotion in them giving them something to be proud in (Shaara 90). Speakers like Samuel Adams gave colonists a feeling of both pride and anger; the sense of pride in being colonists, and the sense of anger and disgust toward the English and the English army. “We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen" (Adams). From these town meetings a group of patriots gathered together and deemed themselves as the Sons of Liberty. These men were considered the main playmakers of the Whigs and one would have to show a great sense of pride in being a patriot before they could be a Son. “These colonies, under such forms of government, and in such a union, would be unconquerable by all the monarchies of Europe” (John Adams). John Adams appealed to the tactic of creating a feeling of patriotism in his audience. If he could make the colonists feel they could not be defeated the colonists would be more tempted to go to war.“Well John, I wondered how long it would take. Seems you’ve become one of the Sons of Liberty” (Shaara 96). Sam gave accolade to John Adams after he had given his speech to those present at a Massachusetts town meeting. Shaara shows how it was mandatory to prove yourself a true patriot before you could be known as a Son. Becoming a Son of Liberty labeled someone as a patriot leader and someone the colonists could put their trust in. This use of ethos, using your popularity or your social status for persuasion, greatly helped the speaker convince his audience to take word in what he was saying.
Unite
Once the Whig leaders saw that they were gathering a number of followers they realized they had a large task before them. The followers were separated into their own separate colonies. This meant that there were thirteen voices, one from each of the colonies. Main Whig participants knew that to have a strong affect on England they would need to converge into one voice, one entity. Benjamin Franklin came up with a brilliant idea that would bring together the greatest minds in an attempt to collaborate and defeat the British. This collaboration would gather a few delegates from each colonist in order to unite the colonies. This meeting was named the Continental Congress; the very first one met in the September of 1774(First Continental Congress). The delegates would fill in the other delegates of what was occurring in the colonies they were representing. The purpose of this first Continental Congress was not to advocate for independence but more so to have a more powerful, unified voice (First Continental Congress). Although this was the start of different colonists coming together there was still a major decision to be made. To go to war, or to abstain from it and face the English in a more peaceful approach.
Many of those who were in favor of going to war repeated time after time how they had done everything they could, but their last option was to go to war. The reason it was able to make this statement was because the Continental Congress did, in fact, try to make change without violence. One such example was the Olive Branch Petition. Even with this said argument, those against war stayed strong to their point. Patrick Henry gave his famous speech to the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775 (Henry). He states that the colonists are being treated like slaves and are being abused by England. “They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging” (Henry). Patrick Henry relates the abuse the colonists have endured as something close to slavery. If a colonist were to look at the situation through the manner of which Henry explains it, he might feel a greater need to become part of the Continental. By using rhetoric and powerful diction Patrick Henry reached his audience and earned himself a lifelong reputation of a true patriot. Somehow, even as the fighting broke out at the skirmish in Lexington many were unconvinced that there must be war. The skirmish occurred on April 19th, 1775 (American Independence). Many colonists knew what was going on but believed war was still not necessary. Because of the lack of action the Committee of Correspondence called together a Second Continental Congress to make preparations for war. Along with making other war preparations it was at this Continental Congress that George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

Do Not Leave Us
George Washington was familiar with military procedures but this was not all that was required to lead his army. The Continental Army was a militia that was used to a democracy system which determined who would lead them, in some cases if the soldiers disliked the orders greatly they would literally return home. “Respect comes later. First you have to convince them they should listen to a single word you have to say. Your first job is to give them one good reason why they should even obey you” (Shaara 351). General Ward told this to George Washington as he handed over his position to him. This is an exhibition of what Washington had to go through to even have his men to follow him. He found out that the only way to have his men to follow him was for his men to have his trust. The only way they could know they had this trust was through speech. So Washington used his voice to keep the army going. On one such occasion the officers of the Continental Army were on the brink of going against the American government due to financial difficulties. George Washington interrupted their meeting and gave them a short speech, which was not well received by the officers. Upon completion of the speech he began to read a letter from Congress but he was forced to stop reading. "Gentlemen," said Washington, "you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in the service of my country” (George Washington). The mere statement of his vulnerability deeply moved these officers. The officers then unanimously voted to agree with Congress.
Washington was not the only military leader who had to convince his men to fight. One example of a known speaker causing change in his men is at the battle of Bunker Hill. Joseph Warren was a doctor known well at the time. Warren was a Son of Liberty and was moved after hearing one of his men tell him this, “We volunteered to come here because we believe in what you’ve tried to do, the things you write about. When I saw you, when you picked up that musket…well, you honor us, sir. I’m privileged to be fighting beside you” (Shaara 332). The men at Bunker Hill became part of the militia due to some of the words of Doctor Warren and they stayed at the bunker because he came through with the things he was saying. This same type of morale boost was given by George Washington on a much greater scale. Washington and his men suffered of low morale after many losses and many men leaving the army. Still Washington continued and spoke and encouraged his troop to keep moving forward. He rallied his troops to wins and on to defeating the British at Trenton on December 26, 1776 after crossing the Delaware River (American Independence). This win was a turning point in the war and could not have been done without lifting the morale of the troops through speech.
The American Revolution was a battle of wits and words. The English had the strongest army of their time and they were still defeated by the Continental Army. Perhaps the British speakers were not quite as strong with their words. Perhaps the Continental Army got lucky. After everything, the main reason the colonists stood a chance was because of spoken word. Jeff Shaara clearly understood the worth of public speaking when he wrote Rise to Rebellion. Is the pen mightier than the sword? It does not matter, rhetoric clearly defeats them both.

Portrait and artist Statement

Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!
By: Andrew Apodaca, Daniel Huante, Leslie Reyes, and Aryeh Ruiz
Photography and edited with Photoshop

On December 26, 1776 George Washington led his men across the Delaware River and onward to victory during the American Revolution. America’s mother-country, England, had been unfairly taxing the colonies through the Tea Act, Stamp Act, Boston Port Bill, Townshend Act, etc... The colonies, wanting a representative government, decided they were ready to become their own independent country. The Americans formed the Continental Army to oppose the English, directed by George Washington. By reading Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara, which takes place during this process of establishing freedom, our group was able to see the colonists’ perspective as they worked towards building America.
This portrait is designed to show the leadership of George Washington and his men ready to head into battle, despite how underprepared they were. The Continental Army was outnumbered by the English army, but they charged valiantly into battle. The flag and uniform on George Washington are key elements in the portrait; they show the time period as well as Washington’s authority as commander in chief. Also, the color blue is especially important, as that represented America. English soldiers wore the opposite color, red. This portrait was taken with a digital camera and enhanced in Adobe Photoshop. Our initial plans were to take the portrait at Imperial Beach, and decided to use the rocky outcrop as the background when we arrived. Throughout the photo shoot we had trouble capturing a believable scene, but managed to find a shot that we were proud of.