Roosevelt’s First Inauguration Address

1133 Words3 Pages

Roosevelt’s First Inauguration Address “The only thing that we have to fear is fear itself “said Franklin Roosevelt the thirty-second president of the United States in one of the most powerful political addresses ever delivered by an American president. President Roosevelt assumed the presidency during some of the darkest times in American history. He addressed the nation in a time of uncertainty and in a time of great fear. American Citizens were insecure about the economical situation the Unites States, as they were in the middle of the Great Depression. The Great Depression was a result of the stock market crash of 1929, also known as Black Tuesday. After the crash, profits plunged, prices dropped, and income fell. Unemployment rose to 25 percent in the United States. The nation was hungry for physical and emotional sustenance and Roosevelt's speech came at just the right time to satisfy and alleviate the minds of many Americans. Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural address to the masses that were in need of reassurance. In his Inauguration Address, Roosevelt acknowledges the faults that the government is accountable for, and illuminates the confidence he has in himself to get the country back on track. He aimed to declare war on the Great Depression and needed all the executive latitude possible in order to wage that war. By mentioning that we must not be afraid of fear Roosevelt inspired a nation that was fighting through a time of great economic and emotional hardship. In his speech Roosevelt hopes to give Americans courage to work at putting the country back on track and to earn their confidence as their newly elected leader. With the delivery of his Inaugural Address, Franklin Roosevelt attempted to pacify those wor... ... middle of paper ... ...e speech Roosevelt gained the attention of all and was able to impose his influence form the beginning. By using metaphors and connecting himself with Jesus and as a leader of a greater cause was a much greater religious connection. Roosevelt truly showed that there are more important things in life than just materialistic things, and family and purpose in life are much more valuable. Works Cited http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/17/the-high-stakes-of-standardized-tests/ http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/on_performance/2011/07/why_we_still_need_standardized_testing_post-scandal.html http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2012/05/02/poor-students-are-the-real-victims-of-college-discrimination/ http://ideas.time.com/2012/10/11/why-its-time-to-get-rid-of-standardized-tests/ http://www.american.com/archive/2007/july-august-magazine-contents/abolish-the-sat

Open Document