turn this essay into a generalized outline that explains what to do in order to do to get a similar essay: In Alfred Green’s famous speech during the first month of the civil war, he makes a compelling case for his fellow African Americans to join the Union forces.  He begins right away by establishing a value system, emphasized through parallel structure,  that equates freedom and patriotism with the fight for social justice for his people.  Building on this he explains the historical context of African Americans and their treatment in the United States, acknowledging through a catalog of grievances the many short-comings of a nation that postured itself on the notion of equality.  He empathizes with the  justified frustration and anger of his people in light of these failures.  Following this necessary exposition to his purpose, Green begins his optimistic appeal to the responsibility of his fellow African Americans to join the Union despite this problematic history and urges them to take full advantage of a unique opportunity to reinforce their commitment to the country and its ideals.  In a notable shift in paragraph six, Green finally explains exactly what he feels his fellow African Americans should do at this time: enlist.  

In his opening paragraph, Green makes effective use of parallel structure to equate the widely accepted values of America with those that have been historically neglected.  He acknowledges his fellow African Americans as a “race in whose hearts burn the love of country, of freedom, and of civil and religious toleration.”  Here, through his syntax he establishes that freedom and patriotism are not only compatible with, but equal to the value of the equal and fair treatment of the country's citizens.  His appeal here is essentially that anyone who values freedom and patriotism should understand that tolerance and respect for all citizens and beliefs within that society should be equally important.  This fight for equality will ultimately be what he hopes is achieved through the enlistment of his people in the fight ahead.  

After firmly establishing the values behind his directives he catalogs the historical failures of The United States in ensuring equal and fair treatment: “It is true that our injuries are in many respects are great, fugitive-slave laws, Dred Scott decisions, indictments for treason, and long dreary months of imprisonment.”  Here acknowledges the justified frustration and anger over a historical record that could understandably make his fellow African Americans reluctant to fight for a country that has done them so much harm.  He puts it all out there explicitly to make sure he knows his audience's emotions are valid and shared.  He doesn’t want to hide any of this shameful history, but rather despite it he begins to establish that they still have a responsibility to stand up for the values established early in the speech.  

Following this detailed context of what has brought us to the moment of his speech, Green finally in paragraph six begins his direct and explicit call to action which logically follows from the values and historical context he has created.  We can easily spot this shift by the key transition that begins paragraph six: “Let us then, take up the sword, trusting in God, who will defend the right, remembering that there are other days than those of yore…”  That phrase “Let us then” becomes the final step in a logical argument he’s been building from the beginning.  Here we see a notable shift in tone to one of optimism: “the world today is on the side of freedom and universal political equality.”  This portion of his argument establishes the timely opportunity for action that the civil war is presenting.  These final paragraphs are dramatic with their references to “taking up swords” and “god”, which are an attempt for Green to explain that this fight is bigger than the flawed history and individual grievances his audience has suffered; it is a moral obligation to enlist to capitalize on this moment and do what is right under the eyes of God.