Publisher Description

What did America's greatest orators say regarding significant issues and concerns throughout United States history? This three-volume set examines hundreds of the most historically significant speeches from colonial times to the modern era, allowing readers to consider exactly what the speakers said—and to better understand the motivations behind each speech as well as the effect on the audiences that heard them.This essential reference work presents the most important and historically significant speeches delivered since colonial times, providing in essence a documentary history of the United States through these public utterances. Readers can witness American history unfold firsthand through these stirring and at times controversial speeches—from Patrick Henry's fiery words calling for an American revolution, through the words of the 19th-century abolitionists and Lincoln's immortal Gettysburg Address, and up through the 20th century with President Wilson's famous "Fourteen Points," FDR reminding Americans that the only thing they had to fear was fear itself, and George W. Bush responding to the attacks of September 11. For students, teachers, librarians, and general readers, this indispensable work provides essential reference resources on the speeches of great significance in American history.Each speech is prefaced by a contextual headnote that provides essential background information and specific details about the speech. This three-volume set also includes a timeline, a historical review of each era, biographical sketches of each speaker, and anecdotal sidebars containing additional information about the speech or speakers.

Author Biography

Jolyon P. Girard, PhD, is professor emeritus at Cabrini University, Radnor, PA.Darryl Mace, PhD, is chair of history and political science at Cabrini University.Courtney Michelle Smith, PhD, is associate professor of history and political science and core curriculum director at Cabrini University.

Table of Contents

VOLUME 1Set IntroductionAcknowledgmentsVolume I Introduction, 1492–1815Volume I ChronologyChapter 1: 1492–1753Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. "The Requerimiento" (1513)2. John Smith, "John Smith and Powhatan Exchange Views" (1608)3. Chief Powhatan, "Address to Captain John Smith" (1609)4. "Proceedings from the Virginia Assembly, 1619" (1619)5. John Winthrop, "A Model of Christian Charity" (1630)6. Anne Hutchinson, "Trial and Interrogation of Anne Hutchinson" (1637)7. John Winthrop, "Speech to the General Court" (1645)8. John Eliot, "A Dialogue Between Piumbukhou and His Unconverted Relatives" (c. 1671)9. William Berkeley, "On Bacon's Rebellion" (1676)10. Nathaniel Bacon, "Declaration in the Name of the People" (1676)11. William Penn, "Letter to the Indians" (1681)12. "Resolutions of the Germantown Mennonites/Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery" (1688)13. Cotton Mather, "Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions" (1688)14. "Examination of Sarah Good" (March 1, 1692)15. "Examination of Rebecca Nurse" (March 24, 1692)16. James Oglethorpe, "Speech to the South Carolina Assembly" (1733)17. Andrew Hamilton, "Trial Record from the Case Against John Peter Zenger" (1735)18. Jonathan Edwards, "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God" (1741)19. George Whitefield, "Marks of a True Conversion"20. Thomas Penn, "Speech on the Philadelphia Treaty of 1742" (1742)21. Canasstego, "Speech on the Philadelphia Treaty of 1742" (1742)22. Tachanoonita, "Speech on the Lancaster Treaty of 1744" (1744)23. Scarouady, "Speech on the Carlisle Treaty of 1753" (1753)Chapter 2: 1754–1781Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. Patrick Henry, "The Virginia Stamp Act Resolves" (May 30, 1765)2. "Declaration of Rights and Grievances/Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress" (October 19, 1765)3. William Pitt, "Speech on the Stamp Act" (January 14, 1766)4. George Grenville, "Speech in the House of Commons" (January 14, 1766)5. Benjamin Franklin, "His Examination Before the House of Commons" (February 1766)6. "Address to the Ladies" (Song) (1760s)7. Captain Thomas Preston, "Account of the Boston Massacre" (1770)8. Anonymous, "Account of the Boston Massacre" (1770)9. John Adams, "Speech at the Boston Massacre Trial" (1770)10. Dr. Joseph Warren, "Boston Massacre Oration" (March 5, 1772)11. John Hancock, "Boston Massacre Oration" (March 5, 1774)12. "Revolutionary Tea" (1770s)13. Joseph Galloway, "Speech to the Continental Congress" (September 28, 1774)14. First Continental Congress, "Declarations and Resolves" (October 14, 1774)15. First Continental Congress, "The Articles of Association" (October 20, 1774)16. Dr. Joseph Warren, "Second Boston Massacre Oration" (March 6, 1775)17. Edmund Burke, "Speech to Parliament" (March 22, 1775)18. Patrick Henry, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" (March 23, 1775)19. George Washington, "Accepts His Appointment as Commander of the Continental Army" (June 16, 1775)20. Second Continental Congress, "Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms" (July 6, 1775)21. Second Continental Congress, "Speech to the Six Nations" (July 13, 1775)22. King George III, "Speech to Parliament" (October 27, 1775)23. Lord Dunmore, "A Proclamation" (November 7, 1775)24. "Declaration of Independence" (July 4, 1776)25. Samuel Adams, "On American Independence" (August 1, 1776)26. King George III, "Speech to Parliament" (October 31, 1776)27. "Yankee Doodle" (Song) (1770s & 1780s)28. "The World Turned Upside Down" (1640s & 1781)29. "The Dance" (1781)Chapter 3: 1781–1800Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. George Washington, "Newburgh Address" (March 15, 1783)2. George Washington, "Address to the Congress in Resigning His Commission" (December 23, 1783)3. Alexander Hamilton, "Annapolis Convention Resolution" (September 14, 1786)4. James Madison, "Notes on the Constitutional Convention" (May 29, 1787)5. Alexander Hamilton, "Speech at the Constitutional Convention" (June 18, 1787)6. Benjamin Franklin, "Speech to the Constitutional Convention on State Representation" (June 28, 1787)7. Benjamin Franklin, "Final Speech at the Constitutional Convention" (September 17, 1787)8. James Wilson, "Speech to the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention" (October 6, 1787)9. Patrick Henry, "Speeches to the Virginia Ratifying Convention" (June 5, 1788 and June 7, 1788)10. Alexander Hamilton, "Speeches to the New York Ratifying Convention" (June 21, 1788; June 24, 1788; June 27, 1788)11. George Washington, "First Inaugural Address" (April 30, 1789)12. James Madison, "Proposed Amendments to the Constitution" (June 8, 1789)13. George Washington, "State of the Union Address" (October 25, 1791)14. George Washington, "Proclamation of Militia Service" (September 25, 1794)15. George Washington, "State of the Union Address" (December 8, 1795)16. George Washington, "Farewell Address" (September 19, 1796)17. John Adams, "Inaugural Address" (March 4, 1797)18. John Adams, "Special Message to Congress on Relations with France" (May 16, 1797)19. John Adams, "State of the Union Address" (December 8, 1798)20. "Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions" (December 24, 1798 and December 3, 1799)Chapter 4: 1800–1815Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. "Testimony in the Trial of Gabriel Prosser" (October 6, 1800)2. Thomas Jefferson, "First Inaugural Address" (March 4, 1801)3. Thomas Jefferson, "Second Inaugural Address" (March 4, 1805)4. Thomas Jefferson, "Speech to a Delegation of Indian Chiefs" (January 4, 1806)5. "Speech of the Osages, Missouri, Otos, Panis, Cansas, Ayowais, & Sioux Nations to the President of the U.S. & to the Secretary of War" (January 4, 1806)6. Thomas Jefferson, "Special Message to Congress on the Burr Conspiracy" (January 22, 1807)7. Thomas Jefferson, "Special Message to Congress on Gun-Boats" (February 10, 1807)8. Aaron Burr, "Motion of Aaron Burr to Limit Prosecution Evidence" (August 20, 1807)9. Absalom Jones, "A Thanksgiving Sermon" (January 1, 1808)10. Thomas Jefferson, "State of the Union Address" (November 8, 1808)11. William Hamilton, "Mutual Interest, Mutual Benefit, Mutual Relief" (January 2, 1809)12. James Madison, "First Inaugural Address" (March 4, 1809)13. Henry Clay, "Speech in the U.S. Senate" (February 22, 1810)14. Tecumseh, "Speech to General William Henry Harrison" (August 11, 1810)15. Josiah Quincy III, "Speech on the Passage of the Bill to Enable the People of the Territory of Orleans to Form a Constitution and State Government, and for the Admission of Such State into the Union" (January 14, 1811)16. Felix Grundy, "Speech Delivered in the House of Representatives" (December 9, 1811)17. John C. Calhoun, "Speech Delivered in the House of Representatives" (December 19, 1811)18. Henry Clay, "On Arming for War with England" (December 31, 1811)19. Samuel Taggart, "Speech Delivered in the House of Representatives" (February 24, 1812)20. James Madison, "War Message to Congress" (June 1, 1812)21. Josiah Quincy III, "On the Invasion of Canada" (January 5, 1813)22. James Madison, "Second Inaugural Address" (March 4, 1813)23. "Report and Resolutions of the Hartford Convention" (December 1814–January 1815)24. James Madison, "State of the Union Address" (December 5, 1815)Biographical SketchesSuggested ReadingsAbout the EditorsIndexVOLUME 2Set IntroductionAcknowledgmentsVolume II Introduction, 1816–1899Volume II ChronologyChapter 1: 1816–1846Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. Henry Clay, "On the Seminole War" (1819)2. James Tallmadge, "Tallmadge Amendment to the Missouri Compromise" (1819)3. John Quincy Adams, "Speech on Independence Day" (1821)4. James Monroe, "Monroe Doctrine" (1823)5. Andrew Jackson, "First Inaugural Address" (1829)6. William Lloyd Garrison, "Address to the Colonization Society" (1829)7. David Walker, "Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World" (1829)8. Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina, "Reply to Daniel Webster" (1830)9. Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, "Second Reply to Hayne" (1830)10. John C. Calhoun, "Fort Hill Address" (1831)11. Andrew Jackson, "Proclamation Regarding Nullification" (1832)12. Daniel Webster, "Speech on the Presidential Veto of the Bank Bill" (1832)13. Henry Clay, "In Defense of the American System" (1832)14. Charles Finney, "What a Revival of Religion Is" (1834)15. William B. Travis, "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World" (a.k.a. "Victory or Death") (1836)16. John C. Calhoun, "Slavery a Positive Good," Speech to U.S. Senate (1837)17. Abraham Lincoln, "Lyceum Address" (1838)18. Frederick Douglass, "The Church and Prejudice" (1841)19. Abraham Lincoln, "Temperance Address" (1842)20. William Lloyd Garrison, "Address to the Slaves of the United States" (1843)21. Henry Highland Garnet, "An Address to the Slaves of the United States" (1843)Chapter 2: 1847–1856Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. Henry Clay, "Speech on Mexican-American War" (1847)2. Frederick Douglass, "The Right to Criticize American Institutions" (1847)3. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, "Seneca Falls Keynote Address" (1848)4. Frederick Douglass, "An Address to the Colored People of the United States" (1848)5. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions" (1848)6. John C. Calhoun, "Conquest of Mexico" (1848)7. John C. Calhoun, "Speech on the Oregon Bill" (1848)8. John C. Calhoun, "Speech to the United States Senate against the Compromise of 1850" (1850)9. Daniel Webster, "Seventh of March Speech" (1850)10. William H. Seward, "Freedom in the New Territories (Appeal to a "Higher Law")" (1850)11. Samuel Ringgold Ward, "Speech on the Fugitive Slave Bill" (1850)12. Henry Clay, "Speech on Preserving the Union" (1850)13. Jermain Wesley Loguen, "I Won't Obey the Fugitive Slave Law" (1850)14. Clarina Howard Nichols, "The Responsibilities of Woman" (1851)15. Ernestine Rose, "The Tender Ivy Plant" (1851)16. Sojourner Truth, "Ain't I a Woman?" (1851)17. Abraham Lincoln, "Eulogy of Henry Clay" (1852)18. Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" (1852)19. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, "Temperance and Women's Rights" (1853)20. William Lloyd Garrison, "No Compromise with the Evil of Slavery" (1854)21. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, "The Rights of Married Women" (1854)22. Abraham Lincoln, "The Peoria Speech" (1854)23. Charles Sumner, "The Crime against Kansas" (1856)Chapter 3: 1857–1865Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. James Buchanan, "Inaugural Address" (1857)2. Roger Taney, "Majority Decision on Dred Scott Case" (1857)3. Frederick Douglass, "Speech on the Dred Scott Case" (1857)4. Abraham Lincoln, "A House Divided" (1858)5. James Henry Hammond, "Mudsill Speech" (1858)6. John Brown, "Last Speech" (1859)7. William Lloyd Garrison, "On the Death of John Brown" (1859)8. Abraham Lincoln, "Cooper Union Address" (1860)9. James Buchanan, "State of the Union" (1860)10. Jefferson Davis, "Farewell to the Senate" (1861)11. Abraham Lincoln, "Address to the New Jersey Senate/General Assembly" (1861)12. Abraham Lincoln, "Address in Independence Hall" (1861)13. Alexander Stephens, "Cornerstone Address" (1861)14. Abraham Lincoln, "First Inaugural Address" (1861)15. Abraham Lincoln, "Fourth of July Speech" (1861)16. Frederick Douglass, "Men of Color, to Arms!" (1863)17. Frederick Douglass, "The Present and Future of the Colored Race in America" (1863)18. Abraham Lincoln, "Gettysburg Address" (Bliss Copy) (1863)19. Abraham Lincoln, "Speeches to the Ohio Regiments" (1864)20. Abraham Lincoln, "Second Inaugural Address" (1865)21. Frederick Douglass, "What the Black Man Wants" (1865)22. Abraham Lincoln, "Last Public Address" (1865)Chapter 4: 1866–1899Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. Andrew Johnson, "Cleveland Speech" (1866)2. Frances D. Gage, "Address to the American Equal Rights Association" (1867)3. Hiram R. Revels, "On Readmission of Georgia to the Union" (1870)4. Susan B. Anthony, "Is It a Crime for a Citizen of the United States to Vote?" (1873)5. Ulysses S. Grant, "Second Inaugural Address" (1873)6. Chief Joseph, "The Surrender of the Nez Perce" (1877)7. Rutherford B. Hayes, "Inaugural Address" (1877)8. Joseph P. Bradley, "Supreme Court Majority Opinion in the Civil Rights Cases" (1883)9. Wovoka (Jack Wilson), "The Promise of the Ghost Dance" (1890)10. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, "The Solitude of Self" (1892)11. Ida B. Wells, "Lynch Law in All Its Phases" (1893)12. Grover Cleveland, "Second Inaugural Address" (1893)13. Frederick Jackson Turner, "The Frontier Thesis Speech" (1893)14. Swami Vivekananda, "Address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago" (1893)15. Frederick Douglass, "The Folly of Colonization" (1894)16. William Jennings Bryan, "Cross of Gold Speech" (1896)17. Redfield Proctor, "Cuban Reconcentration Policy and Its Effects" (1898)Biographical SketchesSuggested ReadingsAbout the EditorsIndexVOLUME 3Set IntroductionAcknowledgmentsVolume III Introduction, 1900–2015Volume III ChronologyChapter 1: 1900–1932Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. W. E. B. Du Bois, "Niagara Movement" (1905)2. Theodore Roosevelt, "The Man with the Muckrake" (1906)3. Mary Church Terrell, "What It Means to Be Colored in America" (1906)4. Ida Wells, "This Awful Slaughter" (1909)5. Theodore Roosevelt, "New Nationalism" (1910)6. Woodrow Wilson, "First Inaugural Speech" (1913)7. Woodrow Wilson, "Declaration of War" (1917)8. Emma Goldman, "To the Jury" (1917)9. Carrie Chapman Catt, "Congress on Women's Rights" (1917)10. Woodrow Wilson, "Fourteen Points" (1918)11. Eugene v. Debs, "Statement to the Court" (1918)12. Woodrow Wilson, "The League of Nations" (1919)13. Warren G. Harding, "Return to Normalcy" (1920)14. Crystal Eastman, "Now We Can Begin" (1920)15. Margaret Sanger, "The Morality of Birth Control" (1921)16. Clarence Darrow, "Leopold and Loeb Summation" (1924)17. Herbert Hoover, "Rugged Individualism" (1928)18. Franklin D. Roosevelt, "Commonwealth Club" (1932)Chapter 2: 1933–1960Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. Franklin D. Roosevelt, "First Inaugural Address" (1933)2. Huey Long, "Every Man a King" (1934)3. Father Edward Coughlin, "Social Justice" (1934)4. John L. Lewis, "The Rights of Labor" (1937)5. Franklin D. Roosevelt, "Quarantine" (1937)6. Franklin D. Roosevelt, "Arsenal of Democracy" (1940)7. Franklin D. Roosevelt, "Four Freedoms" (1941)8. Franklin D. Roosevelt, "Pearl Harbor" (1941)9. A. Philip Randolph, "March on Washington" (1941)10. Dwight Eisenhower, "Order of the Day" (1944)11. Harry Truman, "Truman Doctrine" (1947)12. George Marshall, "Marshall Plan" (1947)13. Joseph McCarthy, "The Enemy Within" (1950)14. Margaret Chase Smith, "Declaration of Conscience" (1950)15. William Faulkner, "Nobel Prize" (1950)16. Richard Nixon, "Checkers" (1952)17. Dwight Eisenhower, "Atoms for Peace" (1953)18. Thurgood Marshall, "Brown v. Board" (1953)19. John F. Kennedy, "Houston Ministerial Association" (1960)Chapter 3: 1961–1979Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. Dwight Eisenhower, "Farewell" (1961)2. John Kennedy, "Inaugural Address" (1961)3. Douglas MacArthur, "Farewell at West Point" (1962)4. John F. Kennedy, "Cuban Missile Crisis" (1962)5. Rachel Carson, "Pesticides and the Environment" (1963)6. John F. Kennedy, "American University Commencement" (1963)7. John F. Kennedy, "Civil Rights" (1963)8. John F. Kennedy, "Berlin, Germany" (1963)9. Lyndon B. Johnson, "The Great Society" (1964)10. Barry Goldwater, "Republican National Convention" (1964)11. Ronald Reagan, "A Time for Choosing" (1964)12. Mario Savio, "Put Your Bodies upon the Gears" (1964)13. Lyndon B. Johnson, "American Promise" (1965)14. Lyndon B. Johnson, "Will Not Seek Nomination" (1968)15. Robert Kennedy, "Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination" (1968)16. Edward Kennedy, "Eulogy for Robert Kennedy" (1968)17. Shirley Chisholm, "Equal Rights Amendment" (1969)18. Richard Nixon, "Silent Majority" (1969)19. Barbara Jordan, "Articles of Impeachment" (1974)20. Richard Nixon, "Resignation" (1974)21. Jimmy Carter, "A Crisis of Confidence" (1979)Chapter 4: 1980–2015Historical OverviewSpeeches:1. Russell Means, "Europe Must Die" (1980)2. Ronald Reagan, "First Inaugural" (1981)3. Ronald Reagan, "Evil Empire" (1983)4. Ursula Le Guin, "A Left-Handed Commencement Address" (1983)5. Ronald Reagan, "Challenger Disaster" (1986)6. Ronald Reagan, "Tear Down This Wall" (1987)7. Barbara Bush, "Wellesley College Commencement" (1990)8. Mary Fisher, "A Whisper of AIDS" (1992)9. Gloria Steinem, "Salem State College" (1993)10. Toni Morrison, "Nobel Prize" (1993)11. Hillary Clinton, "Women's Rights Are Human Rights" (1995)12. Bill Clinton, "Oklahoma Bombing" (1995)13. George W. Bush, "First Inaugural" (2001)14. George W. Bush, "9/11 Attack" (2001)15. Pope John Paul II, "Sex Abuse Scandal" (2002)16. Barack Obama, "First Inaugural" (2009)17. Peter King, "Muslim Extremism" (2011)18. Barack Obama, "Death of Osama bin Laden" (2011)19. Lois Lerner, "House Sub-Committee" (2013)20. Elizabeth Warren, "Speech on Banking Regulations" (2014)Biographical SketchesSuggested ReadingsAbout the EditorIndex

Review

This set will enhance and facilitate inquiry by those studying or teaching U.S. history, political science, and public speaking or communications. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All libraries. All levels. * Choice *
Top Community College Resource, June 2017 * Choice *
[T]his encyclopedia goes beyond the usual suspects, pulling together many other important, thought-provoking speeches, especially in Volume 3 (1900–2015), which tackles a time period that hasn't been as thoroughly explored in primary document collections. VERDICT Recommended for high school students, undergraduates, and nonspecialist researchers. * Library Journal *

Promotional

What did America's greatest orators say regarding significant issues and concerns throughout United States history? This three-volume set examines hundreds of the most historically significant speeches from colonial times to the modern era, allowing readers to consider exactly what the speakers said—and to better understand the motivations behind each speech as well as the effect on the audiences that heard them.

Long Description

This essential reference work presents the most important and historically significant speeches delivered since colonial times, providing in essence a documentary history of the United States through these public utterances. Readers can witness American history unfold firsthand through these stirring and at times controversial speeches--from Patrick Henry's fiery words calling for an American revolution, through the words of the 19th-century abolitionists and Lincoln's immortal Gettysburg Address, and up through the 20th century with President Wilson's famous "Fourteen Points," FDR reminding Americans that the only thing they had to fear was fear itself, and George W. Bush responding to the attacks of September 11. For students, teachers, librarians, and general readers, this indispensable work provides essential reference resources on the speeches of great significance in American history. Each speech is prefaced by a contextual headnote that provides essential background information and specific details about the speech. This three-volume set also includes a timeline, a historical review of each era, biographical sketches of each speaker, and anecdotal sidebars containing additional information about the speech or speakers.

Review Quote

"This set will enhance and facilitate inquiry by those studying or teaching U.S. history, political science, and public speaking or communications. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All libraries. All levels." - Choice

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