Inaugural Address, Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 1933

1. What is the author arguing?
- The Author, Franklin D Roosevelt is arguing that all Americans have the right to live a standardized life, and that he would like to help the poor and helpless live the life that the "greedy" financiers are obviously depriving them of. Roosevelt also states that happiness should not be from the money that we have but the achievements that we have made. He argues that restoration should be made that we can be a whole nation. Roosevelt concentrates on the fact that we should be working together and helping others. He feels that the primary job of America is to put more people into work so that they would not have to face poverty. Towards almost the end of his address, he also states that banking, credits and also investments should be "strictly supervised."
2. How does the author appeal to logos (logic), pathos (emotional quality), and ethos (the writer's perceived character) with their argument?
- Roosevelt uses a lot of emotional quality rather than logos and ethos, though he does use all often. Roosevelt tries to get his point across by using emotions by saying that we should all be working together, and etc. He uses words that could make people forget about money and politics by saying things like "happiness comes from our accomplishments and not money." Through his words people could emotinally get moved and really believe and buy into what he is saying. Roosevelt also uses ethos because he already believes that he, himself should be helping the poor and the helpless, that is his character so he takes his beliefs and tries to spread his beliefs to others by saying that we should be helping other people and that banking, credit, and investments should be strongly supervised.
3. What is the historical significance/relevance of this document?
- The historical signifcance of this document is that this is when Roosevelt basically started a war with depression and was focusing on helping people that were going through the depression. Roosevelt states that people should be put to work and have jobs.
4. Do you find the author's argument convincing? Why or why not?
-I find Roosevelt's argument very convincing, mostly through his pathos. The way that he described how America should be working as a team is very convincing and also his perceived character and how he felt that the poor should be helped and that they should be working is very convincing. His use of emotional support was a huge help in making his argument convincing.

A place of ones own

Back in the early 1900's and now, homeowning was a very important and "big deal." Though houseowning has brought many Americans together, it has also turned us against one another due to the big competition of owning a house. Detroit, 1920. housing supply was very short. As the war began in 1925 thousands of "black newcomers" entered Detroit and scared White house owners. White owners felt that black house owners would make the value of the houses go down and increase burglary and such. There was a Dr. Sweet, a Black physician, that ended up fighting to keep his house that was in a white neighborhood.
1. Besides the fact that white owners thought that value would go down, do you think there was another reason for them not wanting black homeowners?
2. If Sweet would not have been allowed back into his house, do you think he would've fought for his house still?