Fifty-six years ago John F. Kennedy’s gave one of the shortest inaugural speeches ever, but to this day it is regarded as one of the most memorable and powerful inaugural speeches. He spoke on topics of liberty, peace and democratic freedoms, and addressed words to both Americans and the world. He also emphasized the desire for peace, including calling for Soviet cooperation to end the threat of war and nuclear destruction, while simultaneously underscoring U.S. intentions to lead and work from a position of strength. President Kennedy emphasized the significance of personal and national freedom as the core tenets of democracy. The importance of freedom as a key theme is evident throughout his speech, such as his reference to the election
It was on January 20th 1961 that John F Kennedy gave his inaugural address after winning the presidential race and beating future president Richard Nixon. President, John F Kennedy in his speech, The Inaugural Address, he describes his plans for growth in America. Kennedy’s purpose is unite the people of the U.S. and bring everyone together for the good cause of promoting growth in the country. He creates a very inspirational tone in order to establish a connection with the U.S. people. In his speech Kennedy really used several rhetorical strategies of persuasion to motivate and persuade the U.S. people that they made the right choice in choosing him.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States. He graduated from Harvard, and joined the navy. He worked as a reporter before entering the political arena. He later wrote “profiles in courage” which won the Pulitzer Prize Award. Being that JFK was the youngest president to ever be in office there is no doubt that he encountered a lot of skepticism. This speech had many purposes but most importantly it gave him positive recognition. The inaugural address was written to encourage the American public to get actively involved with their country. It also reassured them that it was not a contest that he won but rather chance at a beginning. This speech reassured the voters that they made the right choice and informed a country that they were going to see some changes.
In a tradition dating back to George Washington, every newly-elected president gives an inaugural address at the time of his swearing into office. Many of these inaugural speeches have been given during times of war. Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address was given on March 4, 1865, near the end of the American Civil War, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Fourth Inaugural Address was given on January 20, 1945, in the last year of World War Two, and John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address was given on January 20, 1961, during the darkest years of the Cold War. Each in their own way, in their respective inaugural addresses, spoke words of reassurance and encouragement to a nation’s people troubled by war and anxious about peace.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy delivered one of the most important American speeches after being sworn in as president on January 20, 1961. His inauguration speech was so influential that it seized the nation’s attention, and quotes from it are still clearly remembered by people today. It is considered one of the best speeches ever written and ever delivered. It presents a strong appeal to pathos, ethos, and logos and accomplishes what any speaker strives for – it speaks straight to the heart of the audience and inspires people.
In 1961, John F. Kennedy presents a very authoritative and persuasive inaugural address with a surplus of rhetoric. His speech is full of rhetoric in order to manipulate or sway his audience to his new policies. Kennedy’s objective is to unite the country and he does this through fear, duty, and pride. In order to create unity, Kennedy appeals to fear by revealing one common enemy: nuclear warfare. Nuclear warfare could mean the destruction of many countries, which Kennedy effectively presents to America and the world. Kennedy’s earnest tone push the people to invest in his purpose to provide freedom and peace around the world. He stirs at their emotions by effectively using imagery, which helps create pictures of mass destruction. In
John F. Kennedy’s central argument in his inaugural speech is that America needs to act. During this time the Cold War was occurring, causing both America and the Soviet Union to compete in an arms race to see who could make the most nuclear weapons. Kennedy states that America needs to fight for freedom while also negotiating peace with communist countries, especially the Soviet Union. Kennedy does not want a nuclear war to occur, so he wants peace before another world war happens. Kennedy also talks about helping the poor people in other countries.
As emblematic representatives of their country, U.S. Presidents exercise their beliefs and concepts regularly through the use of eloquence. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected president of the United States in 1960. Kennedy became president during times of great danger and fear for the nation of America, and others around the globe. With Communism being further more popular, and large weapon’s being frequently produced all around the world, the people of America needed a new premier commander. As the youngest elected official to ever govern the White House, Kennedy wanted to show his genuineness as a ruler, and verify that his presidency would lead to great hope and future. The president’s inaugural address allows the president to lay out his
With the tone of inspiration, hortatory, and powerful, an inaugural speech by President Kennedy clearly defines the ceremonial purpose based on the first aspect of social cohesion in freedom and liberty. At the very beginning, by using a youthful diction, President Kennedy shows his great achievement in winning the presidential election. Even at his young age, Kennedy still performs at the same level as the past presidents. He proves to his audience by saying that, “For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago” (“President Kennedy”). Hard work, loyalty, labor, and meticulousness will definitely bring many positive effects to the country.
... Americans are so happy in this country. Freedom is was what this country was founded on and he wanted to spread it to the world. Ethos is quite simple in his speech. John F. Kennedy is obviously a smart, brilliant man that became president. He wouldn’t be where he was if he wasn’t those things, there American people would not have elected him to office.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and President John F. Kennedy (JFK) were both very inspirational people who gave important speeches during their presidency. These men both wrote about their own ideas in each speech they presented. The speech from Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” and Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address” both write of their own beliefs of freedom, and their purposes. Although during Roosevelt’s time in 1941 the situation was different from Kennedy’s situation, because Roosevelt was entering WWII and Kennedy was in a cold war.
John F Kennedy delivered one of the best speeches on January 20, 1961.His inauguration speech was very powerful and it gathered the attention of every single person in the nation. It uses a strong appeal to pathos, ethos and logos. Kennedy was the youngest president to be in office. He got his degree from Harvard and later on joined the navy. He wrote “ profiles in courage” which has received one of the most recognized awards, the Pulitzer Prize. This speech had a lot of positive sides to it, but one of the most important things was that it gave him a good look from the outside. The inaugural address was written to let the citizens of America know that they could change this country for the better. It assured all voters
On January 20th, 1961, John Fitzgerald Kennedy gave a speech to the nation, which encompassed a new vision for the country with a new generation. That speech was JFK’s Inaugural Address. As the new 35th president, JFK was the youngest president to enter the oval office at the age of forty-three ("Inaugural Address."). The nation was still in in the process of healing after World War II. In the eyes of the masses, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was a breath of fresh air for the American People. He was a youthful president, with his youthful image; he was able to rally the younger generations with a progressive vision. This speech was a message to the nation in which JFK outlines a new direction for The United States by securing it’s freedom, being a competitive nation in all aspects, and rallying the citizens behind the government.
Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States of America. His inaugural address showed his stance on freedom, and he said some controversial statements that fazed many during that era. He was very committed to the idea of freedom for everyone no matter what race, religion, status, etc they were. Kennedy made an extreme sacrifice when he was unfortunately assassinated because many learned about him and his beliefs. His inaugural address states, “Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” (Kennedy). Similarly, he was earnestly passionate about freedom for all and that any sacrifice no matter how extreme, would be necessary to achieve freedom. Consequently, he was adamant about preserving liberty, and he was faced with issues at a public level. Kennedy expressed his feelings about helping less fortunate countries even though some people opposed his beliefs. He said, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich,” (Kennedy). Moreover, he stressed that Americans should be grateful that they lived in the U.S. Also, he was determined to preserve America’s freedom that was earned from hardships of the
Hence, through various rhetorical strategies, Kennedy achieves his purpose of gaining the spectators’ favor through stressing major current events that concerned the American people. These significant concepts include American patriotism and American diplomacy, stressed when he begins four consequent paragraphs with the same recurring three words, “Let both sides.” Kennedy’s brilliant use of pathos, parallelism, antithesis, and varied syntax successfully convey his ambitions and hopes for America, as it makes Kennedy’s speech a very memorable one in history.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th President of the United States of America at noon on January 20th, 1961. He then delivered his inaugural speech in The National Center for Public Policy Research's Archive of Historical Documents. Kennedy’s speech, one that Thurston Clarke referred to as “...the speech that changed America.” may quite possibly have done just that. Kennedy’s speech sought to convey many messages to the American people. It, at the time, speaks of a world which is “very different now” and notes the importance and prevalence of change in American society and the rest of the world. The most important theme taken from Kennedy’s speech perhaps though is its call to arms of Americans to become active citizens and to fight not only the wrongs and injustices to freedom taking place throughout the world but also to advance the rights and freedoms experienced within the United States by turning inward and actively pursuing change for the betterment of American society.