City on a Hill Speeches John Winthrop in particular has been quoted as a source of inspiration by U.S. presidents from John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. John Winthrop crossed the ocean from England to New England aboard the Arabella in early 1630s. His passengers were primarily Puritans who had fled England in search of religious freedom. John Winthrop's directive provided inspiration and caution to the passengers, and his determination was seen through John F. Kennedy’s and Ronald Reagan’s eyes. The “City on a Hill” speech was the motivational piece for John Winthrop, and the incentive for John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. The “City upon a Hill” section of the sermon called “A Model of Christian Charity” was written in 1630s by the Puritan leader, John Winthrop, while the first group of Puritan emigrants was still onboard their ship. The “City upon a Hill” passage has come to represent irritating Puritan pridefulness; they thought they were perfect, a city on a hill that everyone else would admire and want to imitate. In reality, the passage is far from a back-patting exercise. Winthrop knew that the events in New England would be watched not just by England, but by the world. It was in this context that Winthrop noted: “We must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” His language made it clear that we were not destined to be a shining example, only that we were destined to be an example, shining or not. In theory, his speech was written to persuade and manipulate the minds of others to be apart of his religion. The same phrase was invoked by John F. Kennedy in 1961, slightly more than a week before he was initiated as president. He spoke at a podium at the Massachusetts State House before an audience of legislators, state officials and 700 spectators. “Today the eyes of all people are truly upon us — and our governments, in every branch, at every level, national, state and local, must be as a city upon a hill — constructed and inhabited by men aware of their great trust and their great responsibilities.”
His intentions by reviving John Winthrop’s speech was to urge the nation to embrace the vision laid out in the “City on a Hill” speech. Throughout his entire speech he mentions different sections from Winthrop’s speech and changed the Puritan fragments to constructing a nation, a “City on a Hill”. Kennedy’s vision of the “City on a Hill” was the eyes are shining upon us as a nation and our actions are watched as a whole unit, so we had to mold the government as if it was a “City on a Hill”. John F. Kennedy brought the “City on a Hill” speech back to life in 1961 before he became the 35th president. President Ronald Reagan used a different phrase, but similar language, in his farewell speech on Jan. 11, 1989. Reagan’s imagery came from “A Model of Christian Charity,” by Puritan leader John Winthrop. When he wrote these memorable words, Winthrop was waiting to arrive on the American shore. “…in my mind, it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.”
Reagan’s perspective on “City on a Hill” is more about the country’s freedom, creativity, and the welcoming of people to the nation. He has more of a warm welcoming feel to his speech unlike the other two men. Regarding our future, Reagan understood that, “as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours.” The “City on a Hill” speech was by John Winthrop, but down the line John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan refurbished his old speech to make it their own. Winthrop was biased towards his religion trying to make people perceive it better than it really was. John F. Kennedy configured his speech to be creating a city that fits everyones needs, but there will always be the government involved, watching over. Reagan’s speech was more heartfelt and sincere; he talked about the creativity and the welcoming of people. From John Winthrop to John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan, our land has been blessed with a long line of individuals devoted to freedom. Although these leaders had flaws, they illuminated the path to the shining city.