FDR Inaugural Address Speech Analysis Essay
In arguably one of the most powerful of American political addresses ever given, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt argues that, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself’, and that in order to restore America to its pre-depression state, the American people must believe that he can lead them through the Great Depression, so long as they appoint him the wartime executive powers required to handle the situation effectively. Roosevelt emphasizes the need for action through the use of biblical allusions and referring to himself as the prophet is this time of need, taking the role of Jesus, declaring, “The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths.” ; he plays upon the social needs as well as builds up his credibility with the audience by stating his plan to combat the depression, “broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.” ; and cements his argument with his claims of value and policy, exposing the flaws of pre-depression American society, and eventually calling for the change he believes necessary to force America out of the depression, “we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit.”. Franklin Delano Roosevelt goes to such lengths to earn the support of his fellow Americans in order to unite the entire country in
Language plays a crucial role in the development of power. Famous personalities in the United States use rhetorical devices to emphasize a specific point and make it clear to the audience. President Thomas Jefferson is a Democratic-Republican and won the election of 1800. In 1801 he presented his inauguration speech and was significant because it was the first time in the history when the power shifted from one party to the other. Martin Luther King, Jr. served as an American minister and played an active role in the civil rights movement. John F. Kennedy delivered his speech during his inauguration in order to develop relations with the Soviet Union and end Cold War. All the speeches were delivered by most known personalities and made use of rhetorical devices such as allusion and repetition to make their message memorable in the hearts of the citizens of America.
On March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt stood before a nation and assumed the presidency of the United States of America. He recited the entire oath of office from memory, instead of merely answering “I Do” to a list of promises he was making to the American people. American citizens who had already endured four years of the greatest economic depression the nation had ever experienced. Americans who were desperately searching for help and relief from unemployment, financial crisis, and the possibility of starvation. In his inaugural address, Roosevelt vowed to bring to America the relief Americans needed, and to restore the nation to it’s position of power in the world. He promised a New Deal. While many wanted to believe that this
On March 4, 1865 Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address as president of the United States. The inaugural address came at the very end of the American Civil War, and just a month before the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Prior to this address, the United States had been split into two different independent states, the Union and the Confederacy. Throughout Abraham Lincoln’s first term and the very beginning of his second, Lincoln had to deal with the secession of the eleven states that made up the Confederacy. Also during the war, Lincoln competed in the 1864 presidential election in which his leadership was challenged by George B. McClellan. This inaugural address was important at the time, and remains a relic of Abraham Lincoln’s powerful speaking ability.
George Washington had to borrow money to relocate to New York, then the center of American government. His presidential inauguration was held near New York 's Wall Street in late April 1789. A tremendous crowd showed up to see the man now known as "the Father of His Country." Borrowing a custom from English monarchs, who by tradition address Parliament when its sessions open, Washington gave a brief speech. It was the first inaugural address and the first of many contributions that Washington would make to the office of the presidency. But this would be no monarch; the new leader wore a plain brown suit.
John F Kennedy’s inaugural speech is widely considered one of the best speeches ever given. By the time Kennedy was elected, he had earned a degree from Harvard University, spent time in the Navy during the Second World War, and was already enjoying a successful political career serving in both houses of Congress. Kennedy delivered his eloquent inaugural speech to thousands of people on the steps of the Capitol building and millions more watching the broadcast on television which was the first to be shown in color. Something that I believe that he did better than other political speakers is that not only did he attempt to comfort his audience of the fear of the spread of communism, but he also successfully maintained the same tone throughout his speech; not only did that make his speech easier to comprehend and well received but it has continued to inspire generations since. Ultimately, the newly elected president delivered one of the most quoted and well known inaugural speeches to date.
The election of 1932 focused primarily on the Great Depression, the recent economic crisis that had swallowed the nation. At this time, thirteen million people were unemployed and 774 banks were shutting down annually. Economically unstable, Americans turned to Franklin Delano Roosevelt who claimed, “better days were ahead” with his New Deal reformation. He promised economic “recovery, job creation, investment in public works, and civic uplift” (Harvey 88). Immediately upon entering the white house, he began his 3 R process: relief, recovery, and reform (Bateman and Taylor 73). While this revolution would bring reform to U.S banking systems and help improve unemployment, the restoring of economic stability would go unmet; therefore, we must question the true effectiveness of this reformation. Roosevelt is considered to be one of the nation’s greatest and most influential presidents, yet he did not end the great depression as he was expected to. Was FDR as potent as we credit him to be? By exploring society before the depression, comparing presidents prior to FDR, as well as dissecting the success and failures of his New Deal reconstruction, we can analyze and conclude FDR’s true role in healing the nation.
At a time of hardships, a generation who had lived a life of war and troubles came together to celebrate the inauguration of the 35th president of the united states. The three pieces analyzed use different methods to portray what exactly went on on that cold January day, but managed to impact the readers and portray John F. Kennedy the same way. His inauguration speech uses different rhetorical terms and Ethos as a method of persuasion. The article Inside Kennedy´s Inauguration by Eleanor Clit on the other hand, uses Pathos to give an emotional connection. Finally the photo, credited to the United States Army Signal corps uses imagery to capture that historical moment. Regardless of what method they each used they all manage to portray him the same way. As a respected, strong, brilliant and transcendent human being. Each of the three sources, uses unique methods such as ethos, pathos and imagery to portray a similar legacy of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
The second term for President Franklin D. Roosevelt is very important for various reasons. One of them is that historically it was the first inauguration to be celebrated in January instead of March as previous presidential inaugurations. Secondary, this speech reminded people the New Deal intentions and accomplishments. Also, to underline the progress coming up and priorities in the second term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
“The pattern of the prodigal is: rebellion, ruin, repentance, reconciliation, restoration” (Edwin Louis Cole). Abraham Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” is a speech that highlights every point in Cole’s quote. He, Lincoln, talks about how the south manages to rebel, how their economy will be left in ruin, how they will repent and be forgiven by both God and the North, how the North and the South will reconcile, and finally he talks of how the nation will move on to restoration. Abraham Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Address” emphasizes the reconciliation of a torn apart nation by appealing to pathos, logos, and ethos and by using diction to appeal to the listener’s emotion.
The primary source I have chosen is the “Second Inaugural Address” by Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865. Lincoln delivered his address as the Civil War was drawing to a conclusion and the final ends towards slavery. His address was to thousands of spectators, but was intended for a national and international audience. Some of the conspirators involved with Lincoln’s assassination such as John Wilkes Booth, George Atzerodt, and John Surratt were present in the crowd during the inauguration. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. Abraham most importantly led the Civil War into victory. He preserved the Union, abolished slavery, and strengthened the federal government, while also modernizing the economy.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt wrote his First Inaugural Address in 1933. He had defeated Herbert Hoover. "By 1933, the depression had reached its depth." During the campaign, Roosevelt had said little about how he planned to solve the problems of the government. A few problems that he mentioned were "values had shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen, and our ability to pay has fallen." There are other problems as well. When the stock market crashed in 1929, quite a few people had been buying things on credit, which could not be paid off. “The means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade,” is a quote from the address that describes the situation of the stock market during the early 1930’s.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States. He was elected during the Great Depression, the largest and most severe depression experienced by the industrialized Western world. Throughout his speech, FDR states what he believes must be done to help the economy and the people. He states, “Our greatest primary task is to put people to work” (pg. 2) He also reassures the people that “they have not failed” (pg. 5). This confidence in the face of great adversity helped FDR to win the election and the faith of the people. Not only did he lead the people through the worst depression of our time, but he played a key role in World War II. His willingness to do what must be done endeared him to many people and helped to make him the longest serving president in our nation’s history.
In his acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention on June 27, 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt mentioned many challenges and concerns facing the United States during that time period. In his speech the President used short-hand phrases, brief references, and pejorative naming to make his larger, political and ideological points. FDR used terms like ‘economic royalists’, along with phrases like ‘new despotism wrapped in the robes of legal sanctions’, to identify the large corporations, investors and employers, who according to him are trying to influence policies and control the government for their own personal benefits. The President also uses phrases like ‘Necessitous men are not free men’, to reiterate his concerns and to point out how the working people of America are being deprived from their rights by these very same privileged employers. FDR compares 1936 to 1776, referring to the American Revolution and its significance in putting the power back in the hands of the average Americans, and how it is necessary to check the power of the corporations in order to protect the interests of the American people and restore the power back in the hands of the people.
John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, has become one of the most famous presidents in the nation's history due to his oratory skills and eloquence (Biane,2011). In this paper, we present an analysis the inaugural speech that he delivered in January 1961. Even though his Inaugural speech lasted less than fifteen minutes, the message that he saliently delivered was one that has continued to resonate in the very hearts of American citizens.
Ceremonial speeches are given to mark ceremonial events and help a society move beyond their differences. John F. Kennedy gave a ceremonial speech, his inaugural address, on January 20th, 1961, marking one of the most historic speeches in time. In John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address speech, that is being evaluated today, the author uses social cohesion as a call for the nation to give back to the country, as we should do of course, and to ask, and expect less from the government, but that we should all have equal rights. Social Cohesion is described as the words, values, goals, speeches, and ceremonies that glue a group or society together and serve to maintain social order. John F. Kennedy uses