Thomas Jefferson’s Inaugural
Address
Casey Morris
Historical Context
• Topic- The past, present, and future of the United
States
• Purpose- Inaugural address. He wants to thank,
support, and unite the people.
• When- March 4,1801
• Where- White House in Washington DC
• Audience- White males who could vote.
• Historical significance- The first president to hold
the Inauguration at the White House. First
election with two political parties.
Strategy
• Time and Place- A brand new, important
location for the president. The Country was
still very young.
• Circumstances- He had to prove that he was
going to be the right president.
• Audience-Mostly supporters of Jefferson.
Maybe some Federalists.
Tone
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His tone changes
Start: Thankful and appreciative
Middle: Empowering and confident
End: Empowering and unifying
One paragraph is angry and frustrated.
Modes of Persuasion
• Pathos- First person plural (we, us).
– Issued stressed: Equality and freedoms of the
people and government.
• Ethos- Bill of Rights, Constitution,
Constitutional Convention, and the start of the
USA.
• Logos: No statistics of fallacies.
Organization
• Start- He thanks voters for choosing him. “…my fellow
citizens which is here assembled to express my grateful
thanks”
• Thesis- “Utterly, indeed, should I despair not the
presence of many whom I here see remind me that in
the other high authorities provided by our Constitution
I shall fin resources of wisdom, of virtue and of zeal on
which to rely under all difficulties.”
• Speech flow- Thanks, unities, states his platform, asks
for support.
• End- Ask for support and for confidence in “we”.
Literary Devices & Other Techniques
• Imagery- “A rising nation, spread over a wide
and fruitful land, traversing all the seas with
the rich productions of their industry…”
• Metaphor- “… for that guidance and support
which may enable us to steer with safety the
vessel in which we are embarked amidst…”
• Allusions- “…freedom of religion, freedom of
the press and freedom of person under the
protection of habeas corpus…”
Literary Devices & Other Techniques
• Rhetorical Question- “Can he, then, be trusted
with the government of others? Or have we
found angels in the forms of kings to govern
him?”
• Parallel wording, juxtaposition of opposites ,
and humor are not used.
Nonverbal Communication
• We can’t know what his exact nonverbal
communication was because it wasn’t
recorded.
• He was said not be a strong public speaker so
he spent a lot of time writing them to
perfection.