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Alfred Green's Speech In The Civil War

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The Civil War was a conflict unlike any other in American history. It was fought between brothers, both figuratively and literally, over the ideological structure on which America would be formed. What originally the North believed would be quick victory resulted in a length war marked by a substantial death toll on both sides and more collateral damage to America than ever before. The paradox of the war was that though a battle between governmental ideology, most of the Americans at the time were restricted from suffrage or even morally diminished to the worth of property. Alfred Green touches on the oppressive nature of America during this period. Instead of merely showing resent for the African American position in American culture, Green looks to inspire those of his race to back the Civil War and even volunteer for service in the Union Army. All of this in hopes to later further …show more content…

Green asks his audience to “remember the past” and “ the brave deeds of (their) fathers.” What Green is not trying to establish is a disdain for the history of African Americans but rather motivation to go fight for a global cause. The past for blacks in America had been riddled by oppressive social standing. What Green wants is for African Americans to build on this harsh past. He wants his audience to look back on the past; he wants them to look at the “Revolution of 1776, and … the War of 1812 (which failed) to bring (them) recognition”; he wants “fugitive-slave laws, Dred Scott decisions, … and dreary months of imprisonment” to not be forgotten by his people; but most of all, he wants his audience to fight for what’s right. Through the war, Green which to set the precedent for an improvement in the social status of African American people. This appeal to the past persuades his audience to not buckle under the previous and present social injustices, but rather to strive to right as many social wrongdoings as

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Green uses repetition to stress the importance of the African Americans joining the union forces. Throughout his speech Green uses the repetition of “we” and “our”, by doing this he unites himself with his fellow African American audience. This shows his audience that he knows what it feels like to be them because he is the same. Green also talks of the “bravery” it will take in order to fight for their rights, and the “honor” that it grants. This helps his listeners gain the courage to tackle this task of defeating the confederate forces.

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In the nineteen-forties there was a terrible war raging on, with many dead, and others wounded. Little did America know, there was another war, a silent war, a war of opportunities and understanding. During the war years, morale was low and Americans were afraid to go to war, however; the Double V campaign encouraged Americans to fight for democracy and victory abroad and at home. Unfortunately, it didn 't include all Americans. African-Americans had been fighting for their own freedom for many years, but now, they wanted to fight for their country and were denied,“For surely those who perpetrate these ugly prejudices here are seeking to destroy our democratic form of government just as surely as the Axis forces.”

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The author demonstrates this in lines 18-22 where he says, “The result of the most unfair rules of judicial investigation has been the pay we have received for our solicitude, sympathy, and aid in the dangers and difficulties of those days that tried men's souls '. Green’s statement is very true, the African Americans did all they could to help in the revolutionary war and other wars, but they are still treated like animals and do not get the respect they deserve. He is showing that he understands why most people are not wanting to fight for the North but is about to show why he believes they need to

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He appeals to the concerns of the African Americans by depicting the South’s desires and representing it in a negative connotation through use of imagery. The South, as depicted, wants “the war cry of the howling leaders of Secession and treason is: ‘let us drive back the advance guard of civil and religious freedom; let us have more slave territory; let us build stronger the tyrant system in the great American Republic.’” Green utilizes the use of imagery to portray the South as warmongers who seek only to “have more slave territory,” in the “great American Republic.” By giving the South a cynical representation, Green would appeal towards the African American concerns on the hypothetical victory of the South and motivate them to

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He’s zealous. Green uses repetition to emphasize the idea of unity. He uses repetition, such as “let us,” to unify African Americans by getting a hold of their emotion of pride towards patriotism. The use of repetition helps engrave into their mind that this is something they should do for the greater good. The lasting effect on them is pride because they defended their country.

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With this Green lets them know that they were underappreciated and this riots them up. He does this to prepare them for the next part of his speech, but before that he continues to build up his credibility by providing examples of ways they are treated. He tells them about how there being treated for there act of helping the war. The whites gave them fugitive-slave laws, dred Scott decisions, and months of imprisonment for helping them out. Green wants the crowd of African Americans to get frustrated with the whites for putting them in the conditions their in now and wants them to realize they don't deserve what's happening to

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He says that people want to end slavery, but they have to fight for their rights. Saying African Americans have people who are on their side gives them an understanding that they should fight to gain their freedom. Alfred M. Green knows ending slavery is what African Americans want, telling them people are on their side gives them security in fighting in the war. Choosing to use metaphors in his speech makes African Americans more open to enlisting to join the Union

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In regards to this, he mentions the nation of freedom and equality that the United States were and still are considered to be. Speaking about those core principles of the American society existence the speaker wanted to share with other people the idea of worthiness to fight for this land. The speech largely appeals to the feeling of patriotism and readiness to prove that those people are patriots of their country, able and desiring to defend it. Patriotism, according to Green, is the key for African-Americans to create a brighter future. Therefore, the speaker uses it to persuade African-Americans that they have to join the Union Forces.

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In the provided passage by Alfred M. Green, initiates in his Civil War speech by stating even though America may have many negative aspects, the speaker acknowledges the positive American ideology. Though, the purpose of this speech was to encourage his intended audience, being African Americans, to fight for their rights that was unacknowledged through the many years of being oppressed through slavery. The speaker acknowledges this main claim by saying the founding fathers have forgotten about their rights since there were many unfair restrictions through laws. However, Alfred provides an empathetic and angry tone since he gives the audience hope as he urges African Americans to fight for the Union army and someday have equality. The speaker

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The civil war redefined what it meant to be an American because the nation was divided. The civil war redefined to be an American because it changed laws and american’s were also divided over slavery. Nobody ever helped Sojourner Truth get into carriages,over mud puddles or even gives her any best place. Frederick Douglass told others that they would be free when you are twenty-one during the civil war, but he said that he is a slave for life. Paul Revere quotes said On a shadowy something far away,where the river widens to meet the bay,a line of black,that bends and floats on the rising tide,like a bridge of boats so it basically has something to do with the civil war or the fact that he feels bad for the people who are slaves and need help.

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African Americans face a struggle with racism which has been present in our country before the Civil War began in 1861. America still faces racism today however, around the 1920’s the daily life of an African American slowly began to improve. Thus, this time period was known by many, as the “Negro Fad” (O’Neill). The quality of life and freedom of African Americans that lived in the United States was constantly evolving and never completely considered ‘equal’. From being enslaved, to fighting for their freedom, African Americans were greatly changing the status quo and beginning to make their mark in the United States.

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After the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the rise of the Republican party, Southerners feared the tipping of the balance of political power against them; their need for self-determination parallel the colonists’ belief of rebelling against the oppressive government of Great Britain. However, the Civil War represented something more: the clash of the feudalistic, agrarian South with the industrialized, capitalistic North. These two powers differed socially, politically, and economically, and were especially conflicted over slavery. These two sections of the United States were divided against one another, and could not survive this way. Therefore, it is more accurate to state that though the Civil War resembled some aspects of the American Revolution, it was a clash between two forces who could not exist with one another in their current state, leading inevitably to conflict between the

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Martin Luther King, a well-known revolutionary, was inspired through what he saw and experienced: "The degree of pre-existing societal discrimination demonstrated in America, coupled with Dr. King’s education, helped facilitate his rise to the status of hero" (Husain, 7). The conventions, customs, and conditions of his time not only compelled Dr. King to action, but also dictated his measure of success. Decades earlier, there definitely were African Americans who stood up for their rights. However, the movement in the mid-20th century led by Dr. King only had a lasting impacts due to the increasingly progressive attitude that characterizes the period. Heroes yearning to make a mark start many flames, but those flames can only become fires with a dynamic culture as fuel.

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