Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy were very strong American leaders in the 1900s. They both delivered strong, compelling speeches during their presidencies, that were especially important . In both Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” speech, and Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, the world is in an unstable state, and a fight for freedom is being waged. In Roosevelt’s speech however, the words spoken are meant to bring people together to fight against a common enemy, it is a call to arms, whereas Kennedy’s speech is meant to promote peace between the countries of the world, and to unite Americans. As with most presidents, the ideas of freedom are similar in both of the speeches, the freedoms that need protecting are the ones given at birth. These speeches were …show more content…
In 1941, the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech, the world was entwined in a world war, specifically WWII. Up until this point, the war had not yet reached american waters, but the threat was ever imminent. This speech was a response to the attacks at democracy happening across the globe. At this point in history, Adolf Hitler was convincing many great powers of the world to switch over from democracy to fascism, and all the while committing many heinous acts in his own territory, Europe. This change of power was alarming and dangerous in the eyes of many leaders. The purpose of Roosevelt’s speech was to educate people about the newest threat to democracy. He wanted Americans to be prepared for war, and he wanted people to understand the freedoms they were protecting with democracy. In his speech he states, “I find it, unhappily, necessary to report that the future and the safety of our country and of our democracy are overwhelmingly involved in events far beyond our borders. Armed defense of democratic existence is now being gallantly waged in four continents." (14) Roosevelt tells citizens about the danger, and later he states what he wants them to do to help America fight.