The title of a popular AP Language and Composition text tells us that Everything's an Argument. In several respects, this is utterly true -- court cases, disputes, speeches -- all of those are obvious arguments. Even texts that do not necessarily seem to be obviously argumentative -- television shows, essays about the death of a moth -- are making a point they wish the reader to understand, and (often) are suggesting or implying a course of action they wish the reader to take, even if it is only, "Take a look at the world and see it through my eyes."
In this activity, students will analyze an 18th-century document advertising coffee, comparing it with our familiar and well-known ways of advertising or communicating information and asking, "What's the argument?" |
Standards
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Lecture Points
Questions for Analysis
Identify the Basics
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The story of coffee goes back to the 13th century, when it came out of Ethiopia, then spread to Egypt and Yemen. It reached the Middle East, Turkey, and Persia during the 16th century, and then Europe during the early 17th, though not without controversy. In Venice, some called it the ‘bitter invention of Satan,’ but the Pope, upon tasting it, gave it his blessing. By 1652, St. Michael’s Alley, the first cafe in London opened its doors, bringing coffee to England, thanks to a Sicilian immigrant, Pasqua Rosée.
Today, the British Museum houses a handbill that may well be the first advertisement for coffee in England. Source: Open Culture ___________________________________________________________________________________- The Vertue of the COFFEE Drink. First publiquely made and sold in England by Pascua Rosée The Grain or Berry called Coffee, groweth upon little Trees, only in the Deserts of Arabia. It is brought from thence, and drunk generally throughout all the Grand Seignior’s Dominions.[1] It is a simple innocent thing, composed into a drink, by being dryed in an Oven, and ground to Powder, and boiled up with Spring water, and about half a pint of it to be drunk, fasting an hour before and not Eating an hour after, and to be taken as hot as possibly can be endured; the which will never fetch the skin off the mouth, or raise any Blisters, by reason of that Heat. The Turks drink at meals and other times, is usually Water, and their Dyet consists much of Fruit, the Crudities whereof are very much corrected by this Drink. The quality of this Drink is cold and Dry; and though it be a Dryer, yet it neither heats, nor inflames more than hot Posset.[2] It forcloseth the Orifice of the Stomack, and fortifies the heat with- [missing text] it is very good to help digestion, and therefore of great use to be [missing text] bout 3 or 4 a Clock afternoon, as well as in the morning. [missing text] quickens the Spirits, and makes the Heart Lightsome. [missing text] is good against sore Eys, and the better if you hold your Head o’er it, and take in the Steem that way. It supresseth Fumes exceedingly, and therefore good against the Head-ach, and will very much stop any Defluxion of Rheumas, that distil from the Head upon the Stomach, and so prevent and help Consumptions and the Cough of the Lungs. It is excellent to prevent and cure the Dropsy, Gout, and Scurvy. It is known by experience to be better then any other Drying Drink for People in years, or Children that have any running humors upon them, as the Kings Evil. &c. It is very good to prevent Mis-carryings in Child-bearing Women. It is a most excellent Remedy against the Spleen, Hypocondriack Winds, or the like. It will prevent Drowsiness, and make one fit for Busines, if one have occasion to Watch, and therefore you are not to drink of it after Supper, unless you intend to be watchful, for it will hinder sleep for 3 or 4 hours. It is observed that in Turkey, where this is generally drunk, that they are not troubled with the Stone, Gout, Dropsie, or Scurvy, and that their Skins are exceeding cleer and white. It is neither Laxative nor Restringent. Made and Sold in St. Michaels Alley in Cornhill, by Pasqua Rosee, at the Signe of his own Head. _______________________________ [1] The Grand Seigneur = The Grand Turk; that is, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire based in Turkey. 2 Cold and dry = The substantial influence of “humour theory” is still felt here. Foods were thought to have an effect on people’s personality and temper. Cold and dry things were associated with black bile, or depression. There's a reason Starbucks grew up in Seattle, home of grunge music. |