26 Speeches That Changed America

Americans have always been fascinated and persuaded by oratory. A good speech can move mountains and can be just as beneficial or dangerous as any weapon. These 26 speeches changed America from the eighteenth through the twenty-first centuries. Most were made by members of the political class, and all had an impact on the direction of the United States. Some speeches are now regarded as infamous examples of racism or hate, while others are considered to be inspiring examples of American character and principles. The first class generally come from American conservatives. The second from progressive reformers. Do these descriptions fit the speeches? Are the conservative speeches as bad as the left suggests and are those from leftists as good as their accolades? No in both cases. This class places these speeches in the context of their time, examines each for its long term impact on American society, good and bad, and destroys some of the myths surrounding several of these iconic prounouncements of "American principles."