Showing results by narrator "Adriel Brandt" in All Categories

Theodore Roosevelt began this 1899 speech with his thesis: “I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.” He discusses how the many hardships of his life shaped him for the better. Roosevelt believed that if Americans wished to succeed in the world, they would need to embrace the virtue of hard work. He applied this same belief to foreign affairs, stating that America must establish itself as a powerful military force and exert this power when necessary.

With this address, US President James Monroe set a precedent for the nation’s foreign policy. In it, he stated that “The American continents...are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.” Monroe established this doctrine in a time where most of Spain and Portugal’s colonies in Latin America had gained independence. From then on, the Old World and the New World would operate in separate political spheres, and any European interference in North or South America would be considered a threat against the US.

Balaam, son of Beor, is known to us as a non-Israeli prophet who, despite his initial refusal to curse the Israelis, was eventually overcome by wickedness. Horatius Bonar explores in depth the nature of this duality. He details the fate and torments of anyone who allows themselves to be guided by a divided heart.

During a long and illustrious career, William H. Taft served as governor, secretary of war, president, and chief justice. In Taft's inaugural address, key issues in the US at the beginning of the 20th century, including international and domestic affairs, tax and commerce, war, immigration, infrastructure, and more are discussed.

William H. Taft’s speech regarding the tariff law and the extremely controversial Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act of 1909 is a vital address in US history for anyone interested in economics and US political history as a whole.

In 1919, the Republican senator Henry Cabot Lodge gave a speech opposing The Treaty of Versailles and the US joining the League of Nations without reservations. The failure of the Treaty, opposed by Lodge mainly because it would mean the US would be obligated to go to war without the approval of congress if the League saw fit, and his victory over President Woodrow Wilson, is considered by many to be the highlight of Lodge’s political career.

Two days before the US entered WWI on April 6, 1917, Senator Robert La Follette (R-Wis.) defended the right to free speech in times of war in a three-hour senate address. La Follette supported the constitutional right to free speech on ethical, historical, and textual grounds. He speculated that the cause of the war was imperial ambition and commercial rivalry between the European powers, and was proved correct by later historical research in government archives.

The essence of Christianity is to have faith. A blind faith, some would say, but Horatius Bonar takes this far away from the otherwise negative context it is used in. He illustrates how all the miracles, as performed by prophets such as Moses, were so great because of this unyielding faith being able to receive God’s full power.

In this speech, a young Theodore Roosevelt describes what he believes are the key principles to good citizenship. In addition to emphasizing ethical behavior, Roosevelt takes a firm stance on the necessity of engaging in politics and voting. He states unflinchingly, “The people who say that they have not time to attend to politics are simply saying that they are unfit to live in a free community.” To be “a good American citizen”, Roosevelt says one must boldly engage with the issues our nation faces today, and in doing so, shape its future.

Thomas Jefferson beat out Aaron Burr in the 1800 presidential election after Alexander Hamilton cast the tie-breaking vote. Jefferson gave this address to a packed Senate chamber on March 4, 1801. He emphasized the US as a single nation working together and avoided mentioning party politics. In this way, he departed from the speeches of his two predecessors and established a new formula for inaugural addresses that was used by many presidents who came after him.

President Andrew Jackson bid farewell to the nation at the inauguration of Martin Van Buren, his friend and former vice president. Jackson talked of the nation’s successes in the past several years and warned against sectionalism that threatened the nation’s unity.