My paper will have 5 primary sources: two works of writing, and three songs.
The first work of writing will be the Declaration of Independence. It was written in 1776, mainly by Thomas Jefferson, along with John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. It laid out why the colonies were declaring independence, and asserted their inalienable rights and rights to self governance. It was a turning point in both American and world history, the template for a centuries worth of revolutions. At the time, it was quite inflammatory, and quite literally started a war.
The second work of writing is Thomas Paine’s *Common Sense*. It was also written in 1776. It, like the Declaration, laid out the argument for colonial independence. …show more content…
Because they will be more familiar, and their merits clear, to the readers, it will set a good stage to jump to the analysis of the hip hop songs.
I don’t imagine I’ll spend to much time with the founding documents. Like I said, they are a known quantity. I’ll analyze them and point out the parts of their language that I will later link to the songs. For the Declaration, I will focus on it’s assertion of individual rights and list of grievances against a tyrannical government. With *Common Sense* I will focus on it’s message of egalitarian, representative government. I will conclude the analysis by pointing out how both: 1) called for revolution 2) were incredibly controversial for their time.
After the groundwork is set with the founding documents, I’ll move to the hip hop songs. My goal will be to mirror the analysis I just made of these super well respected works of American cannon, and show the similarities with these songs. So for each song, I will point to messages of individual rights, lists of grievances, egalitarianism, calls to revolution etc. Then, I will talk about how both caused volatile reactions from those in power, speaking on the FBI’s interaction with NWA, and Yasiin Bey’s protest departure from the United …show more content…
He points out that the oft-quoted American dream, represented by the ringing of the Liberty bell, doesn’t apply to those raised in America’s ghettos. Jefferson coldly said that the Tree of Liberty needed to be refreshed by the blood of patriots and tyrants. Yasiin is saying that America’s obsession with capitalism has inverted this, we are no longer refreshing the tree of liberty, but gorging the fat cow of the richest Americans at the expense of the rest. He is mirroring Thomas Paine’s argument to the colonists: that they fight for a more egalitarian, fair
The first work of writing will be the Declaration of Independence. It was written in 1776, mainly by Thomas Jefferson, along with John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. It laid out why the colonies were declaring independence, and asserted their inalienable rights and rights to self governance. It was a turning point in both American and world history, the template for a centuries worth of revolutions. At the time, it was quite inflammatory, and quite literally started a war.
The second work of writing is Thomas Paine’s *Common Sense*. It was also written in 1776. It, like the Declaration, laid out the argument for colonial independence. …show more content…
Because they will be more familiar, and their merits clear, to the readers, it will set a good stage to jump to the analysis of the hip hop songs.
I don’t imagine I’ll spend to much time with the founding documents. Like I said, they are a known quantity. I’ll analyze them and point out the parts of their language that I will later link to the songs. For the Declaration, I will focus on it’s assertion of individual rights and list of grievances against a tyrannical government. With *Common Sense* I will focus on it’s message of egalitarian, representative government. I will conclude the analysis by pointing out how both: 1) called for revolution 2) were incredibly controversial for their time.
After the groundwork is set with the founding documents, I’ll move to the hip hop songs. My goal will be to mirror the analysis I just made of these super well respected works of American cannon, and show the similarities with these songs. So for each song, I will point to messages of individual rights, lists of grievances, egalitarianism, calls to revolution etc. Then, I will talk about how both caused volatile reactions from those in power, speaking on the FBI’s interaction with NWA, and Yasiin Bey’s protest departure from the United …show more content…
He points out that the oft-quoted American dream, represented by the ringing of the Liberty bell, doesn’t apply to those raised in America’s ghettos. Jefferson coldly said that the Tree of Liberty needed to be refreshed by the blood of patriots and tyrants. Yasiin is saying that America’s obsession with capitalism has inverted this, we are no longer refreshing the tree of liberty, but gorging the fat cow of the richest Americans at the expense of the rest. He is mirroring Thomas Paine’s argument to the colonists: that they fight for a more egalitarian, fair