On January 20, 1961, the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, stated his inaugural address, which was said to be one of the most defining moments in American history. At the young political age of 43, Kennedy became the youngest US president ever,bringing with him a legendary legacy of elite political education, a renowned war-time hero in the navy, and being a member one the most notorious elitist families in the world.His address was not just gratitude toward the people electing him, but it was instead a very powerful message to the world and the american people,which was to unite as one, and strive for human prosperity. John was born into the Kennedy family, who had a generational legacy of power in the political spectrum …show more content…
His time of presidency however, was during the crucial moments of the Civil Rights Movement as well as the Cold War.The world was under pressure and geo-political chaos due to the conflicts between capitalism and communism, while America was also experiencing racial tensions and social discrimination problems. In this stage of America, Kennedy as the youngest president took his seat of dignity, and accepted his task of guiding a deeply divided nation towards prosperity. Kennedy's inaugural address was a masterful blend of symbolism, rhetoric, and vision. From the outset, he set the tone with his iconic declaration: "Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans" (Kennedy). This stirring proclamation symbolized a generational shift in leadership and a commitment to forging a brighter future.Throughout his address, Kennedy employed a diverse array of figurative language to convey his vision for America and the world. He spoke of America as "the watchman on the walls of world freedom," casting the nation as a vigilant defender of democracy (Kennedy). The imagery of America as a guardian
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.
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.
On a bitter cold, snow-laden, 1961 January morning, twenty thousand people waited in front of Capital Hill to listen to John F Kennedy’s (JFK) inaugural address. Besides that, his audience included eighty million Americans viewing it on televisions, and about three billion listening over the radio. JFK was elected during a time period in which the United States seemed to be at its peak. The mood from the 1950’s was that of an affluent society, a capitalistic golden age where there was a classless middle class, a rise in white-collar job, and very high paying unionized blue-collar jobs. However, there were also underlying inequalities, like the race divisions in the south, and a great fear of confrontation with communistic countries. Additionally, JFK’s predecessor created an inactive government of insufficient action and only went so far as to placate problems but not solve them. JFK needed to convince the country to change. His purpose was to challenge to young generation to get involved and contribute to society,
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.
After narrowly winning the popular vote over former vice President and Republican Candidate Richard Nixon by only two tenths, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was elected as the 35th President of the United States of America. President John F. Kennedy delivered his Inaugural Address in the cold on January 20, 1961 with roughly 8 inches of snow on the ground. Before the inauguration could take place, Army flamethrowers had to clear the snow from Pennsylvania Avenue so fellow Americans could make their way to the swearing in. The newly sworn in President began his address by letting his fellow Americans know that he was willing to work with everyone, to make not only the United States, but each country a greater place for everyone to live rather than
When John F. Kennedy won the 1961 election by just eighty-six electoral votes, the world was fascinated. As he stood on the podium in Washington D.C., preparing to give his inauguration speech, everyone tuned in to what he had to say. As he began speaking, everyone was hearing his words and soon, people were calling it one of the best inaugural speeches ever written. Kennedy was able to connect to our country by using an emotional appeal to pull his message, successfully, off. Whether you were a hawk, a dove, or somewhere in between, John F. Kennedy saw you and spoke directly to you during his inaugural address.
After being elected the 35th President of the United States of America, President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address on January 20, 1961. He spoke of his intentions of being the leader of the United States of America and stressed unity and the hope for a better future. The inaugural address is regarded as one of the most famous and well-written speeches in history; it was brief yet contained countless examples of beautifully executed literary devices. The concepts along with many quotes are often still valued and used in society today. In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy’s use of metaphor and parallelism effectively motivated American’s to do their duty for their nation and the human race.
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 the pathos, ethos and logos. Kennedy was the youngest president to be in office. He got his degree from Harvard and later joined the navy. He wrote “ Profiles in Courage” which has received one of the most recognized awards, the Pulitzer Prize.
John F. Kennedy was elected president on November 8, 1960. This was a particularly rough time in the world. The United states along with several nations were being threatened by poverty, tyranny, disease, communism, and war and weapons. During this time John F. Kennedy, our 35th elected president, gave one of the top four historical speeches of all time. The use of ethos, pathos, and logos where fair and showed how knowledgeable he was about his topic, and makes a clear claim about his topic that the people of The United states and its fellow nations needed to step up to make this world a better place. His intention was to show despite he was the youngest president ever elected, he would be a great leader, and that he will bring change as long as the people were there to help. He wanted to exhort the American people and the world that there is hope.
John F kennedy was the 35th president to be sworn into office in the US. He did a number of wonderful things for our country throughout his presidency, but the first most memorable was when he lifted the spirits of millions of Americans with his Inaugural Address on January 20th, 1961. In order to fully understand why his speech is one of the best American speeches one must first know the reason behind his speech, secondly, the significance of his speech to the people of the US, and lastly how his speech impacted the people of the US.
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
The late president John Fitzgerald Kennedy once said, “Sure it's a big job; but I don't know anyone who can do it better than I can” (“John F. Kennedy” BrainyQuote.com). Kennedy was a young and fresh political figure at the time of his election in 1960. The thirty-fifth president of the United States was born May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was the youngest president ever, as well as the first and only Roman Catholic president (Bass, et al.). His presidency was shortened by an assassin on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy preceded his presidency with a term in the U.S. House of Representatives (1947-1953) and a term in the U.S. Senate (1953-1961) (“John F. Kennedy” History.com). Kennedy, a charismatic and energetic leader, was loved by the American people. He had many plans for his time in office, some of which he was able to personally achieve, while others were left to his vice-president, Lyndon B. Johnson. Although his life was tragically cut short, John F. Kennedy left an indelible mark on the United States of America in and out of the oval office.
Evaluating the legacy of John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address is difficult. Kennedy will always be seen as a man whose young, vibrant life and presidency was tragically cut short. He was the youthful, earnest visionary who might have changed the world. From the start, Kennedy's Inaugural Address was recognized as a well-written and successful speech. Kennedy's speech no doubt possessed the literary style and elegance of a great inaugural address. It rehearsed the communal values of the typical inaugural, and it aimed to unite the public in common cause. Many Americans were personally inspired by Kennedy's Inaugural Address it was clearly much more than "merely" a ceremonial speech. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address proposed a new vision of those in the United States.
The first presidential inaugural address was given by George Washington on April 13, 1789, when he read a speech to the members of Congress. Since then, every president has delivered a speech on Inauguration Day. Many of the earlier presidents read their addresses before taking the oath of office; nowadays, it is customary for presidents to take the oath of office prior to their inaugural address. Most presidents use this opportunity to present the goals they have for America, explaining what they plan to do with the country under their control for the next four years. For better or worse, this speech has a major influence on not only just how readily the American people will accept, but listen, to the president.
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.