...The Two Great Speeches Throughout history many speeches have astonished humanity, two specifically, are very much alike and served the same purpose yet they occurred at different times in history. Pericles’ Funeral Oration, which happened between 431-404 BC, and Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which took place on November 19 1863, share several common aspects. Both speeches pertained to honor the fallen heroes of the Peloponnesian War and the United States Civil War. Due to the fact that both Pericles and Lincoln were politicians we can infer that they were experts in getting their point across to the masses. Pericles’ Funeral Oration happened thousands of years before Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, however the fact that both of them were meant to redefine war and its purpose made them very comparable. There is a reason these two speeches can be compared; by looking at the bigger picture, analyzing the similarities, and meaning of the dialogue it can be said the speeches were intended to portray both wars as a necessary method to reestablish the pillars for which each nation and/or city was founded upon. Both of these speeches are without a doubt, an important piece of history, as they tell the story of the aftermath of the battles that had taken place and the ones that were yet to come. The Funeral Oration by Pericles displays the difference those who had died in the battles made and how much Athenians valued them, enough to publicly honor them. According to...
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...Abraham Lincoln Servant Leadership Case Study and Collaborative Research #4 G. Diaz ADM 553 April 16, 2015 Introduction Abraham Lincoln is one of the most known and beloved presidents of our history. He was the 16th president of the United States and is known for achieving such feats as keeping the Union together and the emancipation of slavery. Having many followers as well as resistance during the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln showed fortitude and never gave up on his vision and goals. Hence, after fighting for many years, he was able to give freedom and support to those who were chained by weights of racism and prejudice. Therefore, aside from having a vision and many followers, what made Lincoln such a great leader? What type of leadership style did Abraham Lincoln mostly use and why was it so successful? To begin with, Lincoln seems to fit the bill of what a great leader is supposed to entail. He was very charismatic, intelligent, determined, self-confident, and showed integrity to his followers and goals. All of these traits as described by Northouse (2013) are characteristics that leaders should aim to develop if they want to be effective commandants. Although leadership does not have one exclusive definition, since we all have our own ideas of what it means to be a good leader, Northouse does provide standard definition for the term. Northouse (2013) defines leadership as “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve...
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...April 27th, 2014 Political Science American Government Civil Rights Essay On November 19, 1863 Abraham Lincoln made a speech known as the Gettysburg Address to multiple people to address the public. Lincoln’s comments that day, however, embraced only a brief moment in the cemetery’s dedication. Lincoln attempted to give meaning to the events at Gettysburg, indeed to the Civil War itself, by speaking about the principles for which he believed the Union stood. Lincoln states that our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the intention that all men are created equal. Then on another note goes into stating that we are now in a great Civil War which is testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so devoted, can long tolerate. He wants to make notice that we are not on a great battle-field of that war, because we have come to dedicate a portion of that field as not for war but more for a final resting place; a resting place for those who gave their lives that the nation might live. Lincoln wants people to realize that our fathers have said that we are all men created in equal, which means we should be as a whole. In 1776, the United States was a new country with a different kind of political philosophy. It was known as “The Great Experiment” because it ventured into new ground and no one knew if such a government could survive. Lincoln testes the idea whether the united States were founded on liberty...
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...In order for a speech to be effective, the speaker must use rhetorical devices that can grab an audience’s attention and help them remember the speech forever. Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, and Abraham Lincoln have made the most memorable speeches of all time because of the rhetorical devices they used. Reagan (“The Challenger”) used pathos, allusion, and parallelism. Kennedy (“Inaugural Address”) applied antithesis, parallelism, and anaphora. And Lincoln utilized allusion, anaphora, and epistrophe into his speech. Each of these speeches lasted anywhere from a minute to two hours. But in the end, length did not matter; the only thing that mattered is the rhetorical devices these president's used in order to get the nation to listen to them and therefore do what they are told. In Ronald Reagan’s “The Challenger” speech, he uses the rhetorical device pathos, or the appeal to emotion, in order to connect the pain that his family, the entire nation, and the families of those affected by the disaster were feeling. As WordPress.com said, “Reagan uses his delivery, use of dictation, and appeals to pathos to help attempt a...
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...Life and times of Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was without a doubt extremely influential to the United States of America. Several historical contributions and events such as the statement four score and seven years ago and emancipation proclamation along with President Lincoln’s assassination have molded American ideology and actions. President Abraham Lincoln was very influential in molding the United States of America and although some of the decisions made during the course of the presidency were controversial; these actions moved the country forward. Abraham Lincoln was the second child born from his father’s first wife. Life stated for Abraham Lincoln in Hodgenville, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. The Lincoln’s lost their land in Kentucky and eventually forced to move to Indiana. Once in Indiana, tragedy struck the Lincoln’s again. He had to deal with his real mother dying from sickness and soon thereafter his father remarried to Ms. Sarah Johnston. Although he missed his biological mother his new family all got along well so well that Lincoln even called Ms. Johnston, mother. As Kane stated, “He held jobs as a store clerk, soldier, postmaster, rail-splitter, surveyor, lawyer, state legislator, United States congressman, and finally the President of the United States from March 4th 1861 until his death on April 15th 1869”. He was married to Mary Todd from Lexington Kentucky for over 22 years and together they had four sons. He was assassinated at Ford’s Theater in...
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...Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” has a strong and lasting influence on all those in attendance, including the friends and families of those who perished in the onslaught that occurred at Gettysburg. Lincoln memorialized those who lost their lives in the battle, while instilling a passion in the hearts of the remaining soldiers. Lincoln used pathos, repetition, and balanced phrasing to help him achieve his purpose. Many examples of emotional appeal can be found in the lines of the “Gettysburg Address.” Lincoln opens his speech by mentioning the ideals upon which this country was created. This reminded the audience of the freedom received with the writing of the “Declaration of Independence” and of victory over a conflicting power. Lincoln states “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” This statement immortalizes the sacrifices that the fallen soldiers made and reminds the audience their loved ones died for a cause and their sacrifices will never be forgotten. Lincoln uses repetition throughout his speech for effect. Lincoln states that “we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground.” Even though the words that he uses are synonymous, the repetition allows Lincoln to strengthen his point, that the sacrifice these men made vastly outweighs mere words alone. In the final sentence, Lincoln proclaims “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government...
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...When Lincoln spoke, he always painted a picture with his words. He was a very good story teller. He did not use overly fancy words, he chose his words carefully and made sure that anyone of any education level could understand what he was saying. Another aspect that made Abraham an effective speaker is the length of his speeches. Lincoln did not bore his audience with two hour long speeches; he gave very brief but powerful and effective speeches. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is a very memorable speech. The speech’s opening, “fore score and seven years ago…” is a very poetic and eloquent way to start a speech. It is more interesting way of saying 87 years ago. He strikes a chord with his words when he is talking about those who have passed; by saying they essentially gave their lives so that our nation can live. In this specific speech, he repeats the words “we” which is him showing the nation that we all stand together. His repetition is so subtle that the audience does not realize he is doing it. In the Gettysburg address, Lincoln tells a story that began with the creation of this nation and ended at the division of the nation they had currently found themselves in. Such an incredible speech and it was under 300 words. A brief speech that was so powerful. Lincoln gave speeches that were brief and to the point but despite the length of his...
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..."Man by nature is a political animal." This quote was of course said by the great Greek philosopher Aristotle. What he meant was that every man has a desire for a say in what goes on within a community. A say in how the authority should be run, a say in how much taxes one needs to pay, a say in just about anything worth having an opinion on that is up for debate. Having solidarity and unity in a community is absolutely critical for any society to properly function efficiently, along with everybody being given equal opportunities. Every person on this earth has this nature Aristotle speaks of, and everyone should be given that chance to use it. It has always been a habit of mankind to follow tradition, or believe in what your parents said when you were growing up. With this being true, it is very difficult to permanently abolish racism. In order to get rid of it, the beliefs of one generation must be changed, or else the next generation will follow. Our world has proved this to be true, as slavery was used all around the globe until certain stops were made by certain people. Abraham Lincoln was the first man to put his fist down as his Emancipation Proclamation gave slaves their first taste of freedom in 1863. Martin Luther King Jr. finalized Lincoln’s intentions as due to his determination and perseverance many people started accepting different races and ethnicities. Unfortunately, not only do many towns across our nation still have racist views but other countries throughout...
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...In “The Words That Remade The Country” (The Atlantic, 2016), Garry Wills recounts aftermath of Gettysburg, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and the affects it had on the citizens of America. Wills first gives a background on the battle of Gettysburg and the planning of the battlefield dedication. In the summer of 1863, General Lee and the confederate army pushed north only to meet the union in Gettysburg. 50,000 people were killed and the confederates retreated. This was the bloodiest battle of the civil war, so the dedication of the cemetery was a big deal. David Wills, who has no relation to the author, was in charge of the ceremony and wanted the dedication to happen before the soldiers were buried. However when he reached out to the greatest...
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...The article did indeed open my eyes to the speech and to his whole being. While reading this article I never knew how much people really loved and praised him for his brilliant work. He was greatly respected for his tenacity and the ability to reach people in such a assertive but sincere way. What really made an impact on me was reading his preparation for the speech. Its ironic that Everett delivered his two-hour speech from memory and to me I don’t feel it really touched the people how Lincoln did. Lincoln spoke for less than two minutes and it spoke on everything from the image of the founding fathers and the new nation, the Civil War in such little time. He knew what to say and how to say it eloquently and said it in a way that was simple...
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...leader, why should I be concerned with a moment or experience in the past? What difference do these defining leadership moments in our past make anyway? Defining leadership moments are also moments or experiences where your words, behaviors or decisions - how you handle yourself in a given situation - creates an impression that helps to define your leadership in the minds of others. How you are distinguished by others as a result of these defining leadership moments contributes to your leadership legacy in action. It is the impact your actions have on others that create the distinctions that contribute to your leadership legacy. Defining Leadership Moment | Leader / Event | Crossing the Delaware River | George Washington | Gettysburg Address | Abraham Lincoln: “Four score and seven years ago...” | Apollo 13 Space Mission | “Failure is not an option.” | First Person To Walk On Moon | Neil Armstrong: “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” | Kennedy Presidential Speech | John Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”...
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...Analysis: The Gettysburg Address One of the greatest and memorable battles in the American Civil War in the 1860s is called The Battle of Gettysburg. Over 8000 soldiers died and were buried in temporary graves without any dignity. That’s why they were reburied at the Gettysburg National Cemetery in July 1863. Edward Everett the main orator, orated for 2 hours at the dedication of the cemetery and reflected all of the details of the battle, whereas President Abraham Lincoln held a very short speech within 2 minutes, which today is the most memorable speech in the world. Its structure and message is so striking and timeless that even students at high schools have to learn it by heart. He starts his speech at the very first beginning, namely when the United States were found in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence, which he even quotes saying “that all men are created equal”. This gives his speech a good basic and foundation to rely on and picks up the idea of a great, equal nation, that contradicts by having fought such a war. However that may be, by saying they were all created equal he honors the fallen soldiers, as they honored this value as well and died for it. So you might say the civil war was fought to secure the American values such as freedom and equality. After that he goes on with talking about the present. He perceives the civil war as being a test “whether that nation can long endure”. And for him it seems like we passed the test, as many soldiers gave up...
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...“I Have a Dream” By: Gary Wright On August 28 1963, 100 years after Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address, standing on the stairs of the emancipation president’s memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave the most important speech for civil rights in our nation’s history. Dr. King chose our nation’s capital as a fitting backdrop for his speech. Dr. King explains his choice of settings during the speech when he says,"In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds.'" Dr. King’s speech came at a time when the civil rights controversy was coming to boiling point. However King’s nonviolent doctrine remained as strong as ever. Dr. King, who received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University, was strongly influenced by the teachings of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi. King’s non-violent rhetoric, however, did not appease many...
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...justice. Three texts cover the extensive topic of American freedom: Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody, Letter from Birmingham Jail written by Martin Luther King Junior, The Bush Doctrine by President George W. Bush, and finally The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln. America has been fighting this overreaching war for centuries and will continue to fight this battle. Each one of these works clearly spells out the injustice done to the American people. More importantly, these works show that from 1863, America has been at war with itself and with others on the extensive issue of freedom. First, in the novel Coming of Age in Mississippi, Anne Moody discusses her life as an impoverished African American. She grew up with one pair of shoes until she wore them out and having beans for dinner night after night while constantly moving with her family because of the different jobs her mother had so she could provide what little they had. The final words of the novel, “I WONDER. I really WONDER” are the best examples of the war on freedom in the novel because they sum up what Anne Moody was doing as an activist during the civil rights movement. She realized that freedom was under attack just like Abraham Lincoln in the “Gettysburg Address” when he said, “It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced”, but Anne, just like Abraham Lincoln, had faith in America. Her faith is what kept her...
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...One of the most influential speeches in American History and it was only about three minutes long. It is one of the most recognizable speeches known to Americans, quoted often that even the beginning is enough to catch your attention. Starting with “Four scores and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation”, the speech mentions the founding fathers, back in 1776, signing the beginning of our glorious country. With a total count of two hundred and seventy-two words, the Gettysburg Address had a huge impact on the Civil War and country as a whole. The speech falls under the informative category because at the dedication ceremony he wanted to inform people mostly about the impact the Civil War had, but also the freedom and equality between men. “... we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have concentrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.”. The message received from this part of the speech is...
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