Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Theodore Roosevelt: "The Man With the Muck Rake"

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the text of Theodore Roosevelt's "The Man with the Muck-rake" speech on April 14, 1906.
Lesson Plan
Writing Fix

Writing Fix: I Pod Inspired Writing Lessons: I Say to You Today I Have a Dream!

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Inspired by MLK's passionate "I Have a Dream Speech," the mentor text "Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.", by Doreen Rappaport, and U2's Pride (In the Name of Love)", students will write speeches that detail...
Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Collaborative Exploration of the Gettysburg Address

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
This lesson plan engages learners in a study of the collaborative elements of Lincoln's famous speech. Included in the lesson plan is an overview, practice, objectives, resources, preparation, and more.
Website
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Colonial Williamsburg: Politics in Colonial Virginia

For Students 9th - 10th
This site explores the politics involved in Colonial Williamsburg, leading up to the American Revolution. Content focuses on famous speeches, documents, and influential people.
Primary
University of Oklahoma

Univ.of Oklahoma: "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death"

For Students 9th - 10th
This site presents the full text of Patrick Henry's famous speech, "Give me liberty or give me death!"
Primary
The History Place

The History Place: Frederick Douglass Speech

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from The History Place provides a brief biography of Douglass and the text to his famous Fourth of July speech. The information is medium in length and worth checking out on the subject.
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln: Gettysburg Address

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This is the text of Abraham Lincoln's famous speech, "The Gettysburg Address," delivered November 19, 1863, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This page also offers audio readings by six famous people: Johnny Cash, Jeff Daniels, Jim Getty,...
Article
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: History Now: Lincoln at Cooper Union

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An essay about Lincoln's speech in 1860 at Cooper Union which brought him to the attention of the national Republican Party.
Primary
University of Missouri

Famous Trials: Testimony of Bobby Seale in Chicago Conspiracy Trial

For Students 9th - 10th
This page contains a transcript of the court testimony and questioning of Bobby Seale, Chairman of the Black Panther Party, concerning his involvement in the Chicago Riots in 1968. Also included is a transcript of the Seale's speech in...
Handout
Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Digital Library: Historical Paradigms in Demosthenes' Speeches

For Students 9th - 10th
An interesting article on the subjects the famous Greek orator Demosthese discussed in his public speeches. For example, Demosthenes talked about King Philip in many of his political speeches.
Activity
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: The Supreme Court: Landmark Cases: Schenck v. u.s. (1919)

For Students 9th - 10th
PBS offers a summary of the landmark Supreme Court case of Schenck v. U.S. which dealt with when an individual's free speech rights under the First Amendment presented a "clear and present danger." This case has since been overturned.
Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Texas v. Johnson (1989)

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that burning the American flag is a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment. Students learn about the First Amendment freedom of speech and the...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream"

For Students 9th - 10th
On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech to hundreds of thousands of Americans at what is known as the March on Washington. This now-famous speech was both an apex and catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement in...
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn: Statement at the Smith Act Trial

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the text of the testimony of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, a member of the USA Communist Party, who spoke in her own defense at her trial for being a Communist on April 24 1952, in New York.
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Eleanor Roosevelt: Adopting the Declaration of Human Rights

For Students 9th - 10th
This is Eleanor Roosevelt's address to the United Nations on its adoption of the Declaration of Human Rights on December 9, 1948 in Paris, France; it is provided in a YouTube video, mp3 audio, and in text. [3:30]
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: John Kerry: Statement at Senate Foreign Relations Committee1

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a video and transcript of John Kerry's testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the topic of the horrors committed by American soldiers in Vietnam and the resulting anger and suffering their participation in the war...
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: William Jefferson Clinton: Oklahoma Bombing Memorial Address

For Students 9th - 10th
This is President Clinton speaking at the prayer memorial for the bombing of Oklahoma City delivered on April 23, 1995, in Oklahoma City, OK. It is offered in YouTube Video, mp3 audio, and text [9:11]
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln: First Inaugural Address: Draft & Final

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the texts of Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address delivered March 4, 1861, in New York, NY. It includes four PDF files: the Forward, the Original Draft, Editorial Changes, and the Final Draft.
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugural Address

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the text of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address delivered March 4, 1865.
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln Address on Repeal of the Missouri Compromise

For Students 9th - 10th
YThis is the text of Abraham Lincoln's Address on Repeal of the Missouri Compromise delivered October 16, 1854, in Peoria, Illinois.
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: First Fireside Chat

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the text and audio of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first Fireside Chat "The Banking Crisis" on March 12, 1933, in Washington D.C.
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Gerald R. Ford: Oath of the u.s. Presidency Address

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the swearing in of Gelald R. Ford as President of the United States on August 9, 1974, after President Nixon resigned. After taking the oath of office, Ford speaks to the country. Offered in mp3 audio and in text.
Unit Plan
New York Times

New York Times: Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th
An outstanding collection of materials for learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights movement. Students can engage in a text-to-text analysis of 'I Have a Dream' and 'The Lasting Power of Dr. King's Dream Speech'
Primary
Henry J. Sage

Sage American History: Daniel Webster: The Union Address

For Students 9th - 10th
Primary source material of famous speech made by Daniel Webster in 1830 in which Webster objects to imposing high tariffs and argues in favor of a state's right to refuse federal law.

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