Question

Read the excerpt from Susan B. Anthony's speech to persuade lawmakers to secure women's right to vote. Answer the question that follows. The preamble of the Federal Constitution says: 'We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.' It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the union. How does the use of logos help Anthony achieve her purpose?

1) It lists the specific rights guaranteed to all people, including women, mentioned in the Constitution.
2) It gives the audience facts about how many more male citizens vote than female citizens.
3) It explains the reasons why the Constitution does not apply or relate to voting rights.
4) It mentions the dates the preamble was written to show its meaning has changed over the years.

Answer 1

In Susan B. Anthony's speech, she uses logos by referencing the inclusive language of the United States Constitution's preamble, asserting that 'We the People' logically includes women and thus supports their right to vote. This reinforces her argument for women's suffrage and aligns most closely with the option that the Constitution guarantees specific rights to all people.

Step-by-step explanation:

The use of logos in Susan B. Anthony's speech advocating for women's suffrage is evident as she draws upon the logical reasoning and structure of the United States Constitution. Anthony points out that the preamble refers to "We the People" instead of a more exclusive phrase, such as "we the white male citizens". This linguistic choice within the Constitution underpins her argument that women are inherently included in the governance and rights laid out by this founding document. By doing so, she suggests that the rights and intentions expressed in the Constitution logically extend to all people, including women, thereby supporting the claim for women's suffrage.

Anthony's speech aligns most closely with option 1: It lists the specific rights guaranteed to all people, including women, mentioned in the Constitution. This is because she is appealing to the logical structure of the Constitution to assert that women are entitled to participate in the democracy as voters, a point that resonates with the principles of justice, welfare, and liberty that, according to the preamble, are to be secured for all. Her use of logos is not about presenting facts regarding male versus female voting, nor the applicability of the Constitution to voting rights specifically, nor the dates of the preamble's authorship, which are options 2, 3, and 4, respectively.