Speech Communication 416: American Public Address
Syllabus for Fall 2003

Dr. Amy Slagell, 230 Pearson; 421 Ross Hall
Office Phone: 294-3053
Meeting Time: TR 9:30-11
Office Hours: W 9:30-11 in 421 Ross Hall, # 294-3053
                      TR 2-3 in 230 Pearson Hall, #294-3425
e-mail address: speechlady@iastate.edu
Course Web Site: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~aslagell/SpCm416/homepage.html

Objectives:

Required Texts:
1. Reid, Ronald F. American Rhetorical Discourse 2nd ed. Waveland Press, 1995.
2. Reading on-line, in handouts or in packets as announced in class.

Graded Assignments:

Midterm: October 15-- 15%

Papers:

1. 3-4 page essay summarizing a scholarly essay from a communication journal or a chapter from a book written by a communication/rhetoric scholar on any one of the speakers we are discussing this semester. Due October 9. 10% more info

2. 3 page rhetorical biography report on one of the speakers we will cover in the course. This report must refer to at least 3 sources. This report will also be presented to the class in an oral presentation. Due dates vary depending on the speaker you choose to examine. 15% [10% written, 5% oral] more info

3. 7-9 page essay closely examining the rhetorical features of a speech by one of the speakers we are studying this term. This essay should be an argument. Proposals due November 4; Final Projects due December 4. 20% [For some interesting advice on this kind of writing see: http://courses.washington.edu/spcmu/425/rhetoricalcriticism.htm]  more info  There is an alternative Final Project Assingment Available.

Classwork: Reading, study questions, in-class group work, outside speech observation assignments posted on the web site, quizzes and participation. 25%  more info

Final Exam: 15% [Tentative Schedule: Wed., December 17, 9:45-11:45 a.m.]

Course Policies:

1. Regular and timely class attendance is essential. We are a fairly small group and your presence will be depended upon. After 2 misses or significant tardies you can expect an impact on your final grade. As usual, you are responsible for finding out what you have missed. (The process should begin with contacting a classmate.) Please be in touch with me beforehand about any planned or prolonged absences.

2. Papers are to be typed and stapled and should include full bibliographic citations--MLS or APA styles are fine.

3. Your written work should be accurate in spelling, grammar, and other aspects of composition. It should meet high standards of organization, precision, and other aspects of style. If you do not already own one, you should purchase a good style manual that will answer your questions regarding punctuation, sentence structure, abuses and faults of composition, footnote and bibliography style, etc. (See pages on the web for advice about writing-through "Assignments" page.)

4. Reading assignments are indicated on the syllabus for the day they are due. They should be read carefully before class time. You will need to print out some readings frim websites so work ahead to gather those materials.  Each week there will be study questions posted on the course web page [see "Assignments] that are to be completed for some of that week's readings. These will be collected periodically. Occasionally you will be asked to create an outline of a speech as you read it (you will profit from creating outlines of all the speeches, but I will only collect them as announced).

5. Please address any special needs or special accommodations with Dr. Slagell at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware of your needs.  Those seeking accommodations based on disabilities should obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form from the Disability Resources (DR) office ( 515-294-6624).  The DR is located on the main floor of the Student Services Building, Room 1076.

August/September
T    26    Introduction to American Public Address Studies

R    28    Approaching American Public Address
Read: Introduction to Reid, pp. 1-19.  Intro to the Puritan Sermon, John Winthrop "A Model of Christian Charity" pp. 23-35 [esp. 23-26 and 33-35]  [notes on rhetoric from Reid]
T     2     Introduction to the Rhetoric of the Revolution: History and Early Whig Responses to the Stamp Act, Townshend Acts,                 and the Tea Act.
Read: Documents: The Stamp Act Congress, pp. 87-92;  John Dickinson, "Letters From a Pennsylvania Farmer" 1768, letter 2, pp. 93-98; "Revolutionary Tea" poem, on-line.
R     4    Fiery Oratory: The Boston Massacre, Whig Response to the Coercive Acts and to British Military Presence
Read: John Hancock, "Boston Massacre Oration," 1774, pp. 99-108; Patrick Henry, "Liberty or Death," 1775, pp. 113-116.
T     9    Defining the War: The Debate over Independence
Read: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, excerpts, 1776, pp. 117-132; William Smith, "To The People of Pennsylvania," pp. 133-137.
R    11    Declaring Independence and its Consequences
 Read: "The Declaration of Independence," 1776, on-line; Abigail Adams "Remember the Ladies," on-line; Frederick Douglass, "Independence Day Speech at Rochester" 5 July,1852, pp. 389-392.
T    16    Introduction to the Abolitionist Movement
For Context Read: pp. 257-259; pp.269-270, and pp. 278-310 [These historical discussions will give an overview of issues.]. Then Read: William Lloyd Garrison, "To the Public" 1831, pp. 334-338; and Declaration of Sentiments, 1837, pp. 357-362.
R    18    The Heart of Abolitionist Arguments: Moral Objections to Slavery: Ethics, the Bible and Human Rights
Read: George Bourne, "A Condensed Anti-Slavery Bible Argument; By a Citizen of Virginia," on-line; Samuel J. May, Some Recollections of our Anti-Slavery Conflict, on-line; Theodore Weld, "American Slavery As It Is," scan a few pages of this on line at: http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/utc/abolitn/abestwa8t.html ; John Brown Address to the Court," 1859, online.
T    23    Abolition and Free Speech I: Violence Against Abolitionists
Read: Wendell Phillips "The Murder of Lovejoy" 1837, pp. 373-379; Angelina Grimké, "Pennsylvania Hall Address" 1838, on-line.
R    25    Abolition and Free Speech II: Anti-Slavery Petitions and the Gag Rule
Read: Gag Rule Debate on the Floor of Congress: http://www.wfu.edu/%7Ezulick/340/gagrule2.html and John C. Calhoun's Speech against reception of petitions: http://www.wfu.edu/%7Ezulick/340/calhoun2.html
 T    30    Women's Rights Emerges from Abolitionist Work and Thought Presentation by Amanda Stewart
Read:"Pastoral Letter" and Sarah Grimké's response, 1837-1838, pp. 363-372; and "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions," 1848, pp. 380-383.
R     2    Lincoln Emerges; the Nation Divides Presentations by Elizabeth Hartmann [Lincoln] and Lopaka Baptiste [Davis]
Read: "A House Divided" 1858, pp. 420-430; and Lincoln's "First Inaugural Address" 1861, pp. 472-479.  Jefferson Davis, Inaugural Address, pp. 466-471.
T     7    Read: Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" 1863, pp. 480-482 and "Second Inaugural Address" 1865, pp. 485-487.

R     9    Catch-up and Review: Print out review materials from the course website and bring to class.
             Paper #1 [article summary] due.

T    14    MIDTERM

R    16    Conclusion of Abolitionist Movement Moving Toward Women's Rights: The Fifteenth Amendment Discourse, pp. 515-528.
   
T    21    Introduction to the Woman Suffrage Movement  Presentation by Brenda Balk [Truth]
Read: Petition to Congress for Woman Suffrage, pp. 505-507; Sojourner Truth, "Speech at the Woman's Rights Convention," 1851, on-line at http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/sojtruth2.htmlonline, and Truth, "What Time of Night It Is," 1853, on-line.
R    23    Arguments from Natural Rights and Expediency Presentation by Mandy Gustafson [Anthony]
Read: Frances Gage, "Address to the First Anniversary of the American Equal Rights Association," 1867, online at http://gos.sbc.edu/g/gagef.html ; Susan B. Anthony excerpts, pp. 529-533.
T    28    Arguments from Natural Rights Continue Presentations by Morgan Ginther [Stanton] and Lisa Slatten [Shaw]
Read: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, "The Solitude of Self," pp. 539-547; Anna Howard Shaw, "Fundamental Principles of a Republic," 1915, online.
R    30    What Will Woman DO With the Ballot? Presentation by Jod Feikema [Willard]
Read:  Frances Willard, "The Dawn of Woman's Day," 1888, on-line; Jane Addams, "Why Women Should Vote," 1915, on-line, at http://douglassarchives.org/adda_a03.htm
November
T     4    Video on the last decades of the Woman Suffrage Movement
            Final Project Proposals Due   

R     6    Final Push for Suffrage: Carrie Chapman Catt, Woodrow Wilson Presentation by Amie Brunsell [Catt]
Read: Carrie Chapman Catt: "Address to the U.S. Congress," 1917, on-line; Wilson supports Woman Suffrage, online.
T    11    Defining America Continues: Rights of African Americans Presentations by Berg [Washington] and by Shane McGraw [DuBois]
Read: Booker T. Washington, pp. 563-567; W. E. B. Dubois, pp. 568-577
R    13    The Civil Rights Movement Presentations by Mike Dean [King] and Ben Nelson [Wallace]
Read: Martin Luther King, Jr."I Have a Dream," pp. 777-783; Gov. George Wallace "The Civil Rights Movement: fraud, sham and hoax,"  July 4, 1964, online at: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1951-1975/integration/wallace.htm            
T    18    Civil Rights Presentations by Ashlie Mcwee [Hamer] and Chelsie Lyons [Malcolm X]
Read: Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have Been to the Mountaintop" 1968, on-line at http://www.afscme.org/about/kingspch.htm ; Fannie Lou Hamer, "Testimony at the Democratic National Convention," 1964, online; Malcolm X "The Ballot or the Bullet," 1964, online at: http://www.indiana.edu/~rterrill/Text-BorB.html
R    20    No Class–Work on Final Projects
       
Thanksgiving Break 24-28

December
T     2    Defining And Defending America Presentation by Tara Clinkinbeard [Kennedy]
        Read: Russell Conwell, "Acres of Diamonds," pp. 621-634; [for an online version of Conwell's entire book see this website;]              John F. Kennedy, "Houston Ministerial Association," pp. 760-766.

R     4    Two Americas: Early '80s Discourse Presentations by Dan Winters [Reagan] and Steaphanie Loiacono [Cuomo]
Read: Ronald Reagan, "Speech to the National Association of Evangelicals," 1983, pp. 830-837; Mario Cuomo, Keynote Address at the Democratic National Convention, 1984, online at, http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/cuomo1984dnc.htm 
Paper #3 is Due.
T     9    More Americans Becoming Visible: The Gay Rights Movement Presentation by Emily McKnight [Fisher]
Read: Mary Fisher, "A Whisper of AIDS," 1992, online at: http://gos.sbc.edu/f/fisher.html ; Urvashi Vaid, "Speech At The March On Washington," April 25, 1993 online at  http://gos.sbc.edu/w/vaid.html
R    11    Redefining America During Conflict
Read: George W. Bush Congressional Address, "Freedom at War with Fear," Sept. 20, 2001; online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html ; George W. Bush "Freedom and the Future," Feb. 27, 2003, online at http://www.nationalreview.com/document/document022703.asp ; Senator Robert Byrd, "Today, I Weep for My Country," March 19, 2003, on-line at Senatory Byrd's website, http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_speeches/   
Tentative Schedule for the Final Exam: Wed., Dec. 17  9:45-11:45 a.m.



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