This thesis explores the historical trends of persuasion as it functions in the competitive forensic setting, looking at the structures used as well as the topics of the speeches. Persuasion plays a large role in our academic and daily lives, which stresses the importance of studying this area due to the large role it plays in our society. This thesis explores the persuasive speeches in the final round of the Interstate Oratorical Association competition from 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 to document the historical trends of persuasive strategies used as a representation of the role forensics fills in our understanding of persuasive trends.