Anna Shaw's Speech

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Rhetorical Analysis of “The Fundamental Principle of a Republic”
The women’s suffrage movement was one of the most well-established movements recorded in U.S. History. Many women were institutionalized because they wanted a right every American citizen should be able to acquire. On June 15, 1915, American citizen Anna Shaw delivered a speech to challenge the political platform of injustice. Shaw indicates in this speech that women could do much more than cook, clean, and bear children. In “The Fundamental Principle of a Republic,” Shaw effectively incorporates the rhetorical principles of logos, anecdote, and procatalepsis to indomitably persuade her audience to support the women’s suffrage movement.
Shaw employs logos to provide justification for her belief that women should have the right to vote. Shaw effectively voices that “men wrote such documents as were went from the Massachusetts legislature, from the New York legislature … which rang with the profoundest measures of freedom and justice” (2). Shaw is stating that men have it documented on paper that men have the right to freedom and justice creating the inequality of sexes. Men were thought to be superior to women because women were justified as “weak,” therefore creating a government under the rule of men. Shaw intends to pursue the support of her audience by mentioning, “that a man who had a property valued at two hundred and fifty dollars will be able to cast a vote” (3). This quote explains to the audience that originally, only those men who were wealthy enough to own a land valued at such a price were granted the right to vote; not all men were included as voters. Shaw is coaxing the audience to her side by the incorporating what was stated in the Constitution. To effectively wrap up her argument, Shaw travels to Denver, Colorado to question women on “who will take care of the babies?” (9). It was seen “that they took care of their babies just as the same as Election Day as they did every other day; they took their baby along with them , when they went to put a letter in [the] box… and when they put their ballot in the box” (9). Shaw mentions this to her audience to show them that women can manage more than just cooking, cleaning, and bearing children. This secures Shaw’s argument, holding off any contradictions. Shaw demonstrates the ply of logos to her audience by establishing that women can take their work with them. By beginning the speech with anecdote Shaw is able to immediately connect with a select few in the audience, therefore effectively gaining their undivided attention in order to prove her point. By starting the speech with, “Twenty-one years ago I came here with Susan B. Anthony, and we came for exactly the same purpose as that for which we are here tonight” (1). Shaw utilizes this anecdote as a way to get her audience to perceive the gradual progression that she incorporates, and also the work that she establishes over the years. She is attempting to persuade her audience to support her through this long journey of suffrage. Also, Shaw declares, “where the women voted, they had a ballot which was both safe and secret” (4). By previously stating how Australia gave women the right to vote under law without complications, Shaw shows how the United States has yet to declare the right to vote to their women. She hopes by stating this she can set an example of equality to our government, and successfully give women more rights. Lastly, Shaw explained to the audience of a story of when she gallivanted to Nebraska
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When the movement is a case to help gain the rights of women, the process creates conflict. After the women’s suffrage movement, the U.S government concealed legal evidence that in fact all citizens that have stayed within the nation for a period of time can vote, it caused havoc amongst genders in the country. By subtly incorporating the rhetorical principles logos, anecdote, and procatalepsis in her speech, Shaw inquires support from the audience to demand the rights of women and perform their duty as an American citizen so that they can certify a more promising future for the

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