Analysis of "Cross of Gold"

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Keegan Welker Mrs. Parham English III AP 22 January 2013 “Cross of Gold” Analysis Before the current American monetary system there was bimetallism which said that gold and silver were legal tender but even before there was the gold standard which said that only gold was legal tender. The gold standard restricted the amount of money that could be in circulation, which harmed the economic well-being of the lower class and especially farmers. A congressman from Nebraska by the name of William Jennings Bryan decided to tackle the problem head on by running on a presidential platform that would change the system for the better. The solution Bryan supported was bimetallism, which is a monetary system that allows both silver and gold to be used as legal tender, meaning that more money would be put into circulation to help farmers get out of debt. William Jennings Bryan made quite clear his position on the gold standard on July 9, 1896 at the Democratic National Convention where he delivered his mesmerizing “Cross of Gold” speech. In the speech Bryan used rhetoric masterfully to capture the audience and sway them into believing in his solution against the gold standard. ("Bryan's "Cross of Gold" Speech: Mesmerizing the Masses.") An analysis of the speech “Cross of Gold,” by William Jennings Bryan, reveals that Bryan employed rhetorical strategies in order to effectively influence American voters. Bryan deliberately chose rhetorical strategies while crafting the text to effectively persuaded listeners. Bryan’s use of rhetorical strategies is what made the speech so remarkable. Bryan’s use of the rhetoric provoked excitement from the audience. The tone of the speech in general was powerful and energetic. Bryan deliberately uses pathos throughout his entire speech to show how he will convince people to buy into bimetallism. His use of pathos inspires the
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