Political Speeches

[annissamazing]

I need to do a two-page analysis on a historical American speech for US Politics. We haven't discussed speeches yet and I'd like to get a jump on this. Do any of you have any favorite speeches you'd recommend for a short paper? I'll go with Washington's farewell address is nothing else. I've heard that, as a History major, I need to have it practically memorized.

Thanks!

Comments

[dragonfly]

I suppose Gettysburg has been done to death and is too obvious. I heard somewhere, though, that its brevity was its brilliance. Someone else spoke at the same gathering and went on and on and on, and no one remembers that speech any more. *g*

I don't suppose this is helpful, either, but you have reminded me of a singular experience of my college days. I was wandering the periodical room, looking for something or other, and stumbled across the most amazing old out-of-print periodical. It was called "Famous Speeches of the Day" or something like that, and it was nothing but collections of speeches. I lost three hours of my life sitting cross-legged on the tile floor in that lonely room reading speeches that had nothing to do with my own research. But they were awesome.

[annissamazing]

Someone else spoke at the same gathering and went on and on and on, and no one remembers that speech any more.

Ha! Good point!

I lost three hours of my life sitting cross-legged on the tile floor in that lonely room reading speeches that had nothing to do with my own research. But they were awesome.

I LOVE that! So much so that I got a little excited just hearing you talk about it. It reminds me of when I was little and used to sit in front of the bookshelf reading the Worldbook Encyclopaedia.

[yamx]

Well, there are all the standard ones--I Have a Dream, the Gettysburg Address, Kennedy's Inaugural Speech, etc.

If you want something not quite as done to death, but very powerful imo, there's Sojourner Truth's Ain't I a Woman.

[redcirce]

f you want something not quite as done to death, but very powerful imo, there's Sojourner Truth's Ain't I a Woman.
This. I was just coming here to recommend this one. I saw a video of Alice Walker reading it recently, and was reminded what a great speech it is...

[yamx]

Its power lies in the fact that she was not a trained orator. She just spoke from the heart, and from her experience, putting it plainly, and it blows you away.

[annissamazing]

I wanted to give you an update: I used this speech and got a 20/20 for it! The only note on it was, "I appreciate your originality!" Yay! Thanks!

[yamx]

Awesome! Congratulations! :)

[annissamazing]

I'd never read that before and I love it! I'm leaning towards writing the paper on this speech. Thanks!

[yamx]

You're welcome!

(Keep in mind: if you write about this speech, you'll have the added advantage of your professor not having read the exact same essay twenty times before he gets to yours. That makes a difference to one's tolerance for small imperfections. . Believe me, I know. *g*)