Have you ever wondered what Lincoln, Kennedy, and Obama have in common? All of them presented multiple speeches to the people sharing their values. Lincoln’s speech was the ” Gettysburg Address” in the time of the Civil War during his presidency and Kennedy’s speech was his ” Inaugural Address” just after WWII. While Obama’s speech was the “ Keynote Address” at the DNC for John Kerry to become the representative for the democratic party. The key American value portrayed in Lincoln’s, Kennedy’s, and Obama’s speeches was the power of unity to support their purposes of reminding the citizens to stay strong and finish the fight, to reassure Americans and allies, and persuade people to see the United States as one nation.
During the Civil War, Lincoln uses the value of doing what you believe in together to reinspire the Union to not give because what they are fighting for is important. In Lincoln’s “ Gettysburg Address”, it entails, “ It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought thus far so nobly advanced” (para. 3). He is saying that everyone should keep pushing and working to end slavery. Lincoln is trying to motivate the people to not let their heads hang or to be discouraged because he knows people have lost loved ones. Americans can see how devoted Lincoln is to his value of doing what you believe in. This devotion to keep on fighting to the end and finish this war.
Similar to Lincoln, John F. Kennedy also portrays his value of unifying and doing the right thing to support his purpose of reassuring the Allies and Americans in his ” Inaugural Address”. He states, “ to all those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required–not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right ” (para. 5). Kennedy means that even though helping other people in the world doesn’t benefit the U.S. in any way we should still help those in need. He wants us to not only be active in the nation but, that doing good shouldn’t have to give us any reward. To help the United States in the long run we have to come together and do the right thing for our Country.
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In addition to Kennedy, Barack Obama uses the value of putting America’s future first to support his purpose of seeing the U.S. as one nation. In the ” Keynote Address”, Obama informs, ” we are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America” (para. 9). Obama is pushing that coming together under one nation being America that will lead to our success. He is saying what you do for a living, where you come from your race, or what you believe in doesn’t matter. Supporting the U.S. keeps us in the same direction ad nothing can divide us. Obama shows citizens the benefits of becoming one will strengthen the United States despite how election time may divide the people, they’re still one nation.
Overall, Lincoln, Kennedy, and Obama all want the U.S. to prosper. Our nation and people need to stay a world power. To influence other countries and keep ourselves safe. By following this common value it will not only ensure Lincoln, Kennedy, and Obama’s purposes will be met but, ensure the United States’ well-being will flourish as one.
