Don’t Know Much About Liberty and Left Out in '08 Introducing the Selections Informational Text Focus: Proposition and Support Writing Skills Focus: Preparing.

Don’t Know Much About Liberty and Left Out in '08

Introducing the Selections

Informational Text Focus: Proposition and Support

Writing Skills Focus: Preparing for Timed Writing

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Don’t Know Much About Liberty and Left Out in '08 Introducing the Selections

What does it take to be a good citizen?


American citizens possess certain rights.

These rights allow people to make important choices every day.

Speech

Assembly

Religion


To earn these rights and freedoms, people from other nations sometimes long to become citizens of the United States.


What are your First Amendment rights?

What are naturalized citizens, and what can’t they do?

These selections will help you answer these questions—and help you understand what it means to be a citizen of the United States.

[End of Section]

Often, a writer’s job is to persuade you to do things.

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Read persuasive arguments carefully and critically. Evaluate the writer’s arguments to determine whether they are credible, or believable.

I don’t think the author of this

Web article uses good reasons to

support her argument.



In persuasive writing, the writer states a proposition, or opinion, and then supports that opinion with reasons.

Reasons answer the question “Why?”

PROPOSITION

PROPOSITION

reason reason reason reason



A writer may use several different kinds of reasons to support his or her proposition.

facts statistics examplesexpert

opinions

PROPOSITION



When you read a persuasive argument, evaluate each reason the writer gives.

facts

examples

expert opinions

statistics

Do the reasons support the writer’s proposition?



Read, then listen to, the following excerpt from “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass.

I will, in the name of humanity, which is outraged, in the name of liberty, which is fettered, in the name of the Constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and shame of America!

What proposition does Douglass make here?

I will, in the name of humanity, which is outraged, in the name of liberty, which is fettered, in the name of the Constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and shame of America!

Slavery is wrong and hurts America.



A fact is a true detail that may include the results of research or surveys.

Writers support their propositions with reasons. Kinds of reasons include:

Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? That he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already declared it.

Here, Douglass refers to the fact that the Declaration of Independence makes these claims.

facts



Statistics are facts in the form of numbers.

There are seventy-two crimes in the state of Virginia, which, if committed by a black man . . . subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of these same crimes will subject a white man to like punishment.

Douglass supports his argument with numbers that can be checked and verified.


statistics



An example is an instance that illustrates another reason or a fact.

. . . we are reading, writing, and ciphering, acting as clerks, merchants, and secretaries, having among us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators, and teachers; that we are engaged in all the enterprises common to other men . . .

Douglass lists examples of the skills and professions slaves do as well as white people.


examples



An expert opinion is a quotation from an expert in a given subject area.


expertopinions

What kind of expert opinion might provide effective support to an argument against slavery?



[End of Section]

Into Action: Complete a chart like this one for each article. First, identify the article’s proposition. Then, record examples of the types of support you discover.

Example

Fact

Statistic

Example

“Twenty-two percent could name all five.”



Type of Support

Expert Opinion

Proposition: ___________________________


Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

As you read, look for ways the writers signal that they are providing support. Write down these signals in a notebook.

Preparing for Timed Writing

facts statistics examplesexpert opinions


Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

For example, an expert opinion might begin with a description of the speaker’s background.

[End of Section]

A statistic might be stated as “More than two thirds.”

Preparing for Timed Writing

Vocabulary


Vocabulary

majority n.: larger part of something.

minority n.: smaller part of something.

suffrage n.: right to vote.

Don’t Know Much About Liberty

Left Out in ’08

Years ago, most school classrooms were filled with rows of desks bolted to the floor.

The majority of classrooms were designed to keep order.


Vocabulary

The majority of today’s classrooms are filled with movable furniture and instructional equipment.


Vocabulary

The candidate who earns the majority of votes

a. loses the election.

b. demands a recount.

c. wins the election.


Vocabulary

The candidate who earns the majority of votes

a. loses the election.

b. demands a recount.

c.wins the election.

Who is in the majority in your classroom, the girls or the boys?


Vocabulary

In this container, darker, free-range eggs are in the minority. There are fewer

darker, free-range eggs.


Vocabulary

Which animal photo shows a kitten in the minority?

a. b. c.


Vocabulary

Which animal photo shows a kitten in the minority?

c.

If there were three kittens, would they still be in the minority?

Why or why not?


Vocabulary

Suffrage is so important that people have fought and died for it.

Why is the right to vote in political elections so important?


Vocabulary

Who has suffrage in the United States?

In the United States, women didn’t have suffrage before 1920. In other words, women before 1920

a. were forced to vote for the same candidates as their husbands.

b. were not allowed to talk about politics.

c. were not allowed to vote.


Vocabulary

In the United States, women didn’t have suffrage before 1920. In other words, women before 1920

a. were forced to vote for the same candidates as their husbands.

b. were not allowed to talk about politics.

c.were not allowed to vote.


Vocabulary

[End of Section]

The End

Don’t Know Much About Liberty and Left Out in '08 Introducing the Selections Informational Text Focus: Proposition and Support Writing Skills Focus: Preparing.

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