theodore roosevelt ‘the duties of american citizenship’

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On January 26, 1883, while serving as a member of the New York state assembly, Theodore Roosevelt delivered a widely publicized address dubbed the ‘Duties of an American Citizen.’ He delivered this speech against the backdrop of an increasing sense of entitlement with a significant shift of tradition from the ideal capitalism to a quasi-dependence on the state. It was a belief long held by Roosevelt that whereas the state is a duty bearer for a vast majority of the rights and freedoms, the citizenry themselves are not without responsibilities. This speech outlines the bare minimums that must be fulfilled satisfactorily by any individual who claims to be a good American citizen. The underlying philosophy in this speech was that the wellness of a nation lies with its people and as such, there are established civic duties. He drew parallels between men who choose to diligently carry out their civic duties and those that do not; controversially stating that those who do not are one degree worse than persons guilty of high treason. It was this and several other instances of seemingly outlandish utterances that offer a basis for a discussion on the emotive elements of this address. Whereas many outstanding oratory aspects of the speech were lost in transcription, a keen reading is still very telling of Roosevelt’s intent through the emotive diction.
Perhaps one of the most emotive undertones in Roosevelt’s rendition of the responsibilities of an Am…