So we have another opportunity to show what great writers we have here at WJHS! The Illinois State Archives, the State Library, the State Board of Education, and the Illinois Center for the Book have come together to offer Essays about Lincoln, "a statewide reading and writing contest celebrating Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday."

Essay Contest Pamphlet

The Gettysburg Address

The Battle of Gettysburg (brief history of the events that precede Lincoln's famous speech)

6 Trait Rubric.doc

Rhetorical Devices Handout

We talked a little about other speeches that effectively inspire. Here are links to a few outstanding examples:

Although this speech is much longer than our 300 word limit, read through (and watch) Barack Obama's keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Notice that he focuses on the values that bring us together rather than those that divide us. This speech has a great deal to do with why Obama is so popular now. Whether or not you like him or agree with his politics in the 2008 race for the presidential nomination, this address was a real crowd-pleaser. Examine the organization of his speech, his focus, his transitions, his word choices. (Yes, I'm sure he had some professional help writing this! Most politicians do.) It is a recipe for inspiration.

Obama's Keynote Speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

An inspirational speech that requires no introduction: Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech

To unite and inspire, JFK, in his inaugural address spoke the now famous words, "And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." If you look at the whole speech, he directs listeners to stand together. He acknowledges a division between "two sides," but he focuses on unity. Also, notice the way he uses repetition of certain words and phrases to make his points stronger. Often, we language arts teachers tell you to avoid repetition and to vary your word choices and sentence openings. However, sometimes repetition works to achieve a desired effect. Inspirational speeches, like sermons, often use repetition.

John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Speech

Another rousing and famous speech is actually a fictional one from Shakespeare's Henry V. Here, the character of Henry is bolstering the spirit and resolve of his soldiers as they are about to enter battle. His strategy is quite different from Obama's. Rather than focus on uniting all the citizens, he focuses on separating the soldiers from "gentlemen in England now-a-bed," giving all the glory of the day to the soldiers who do battle that day. The genius of the speech is that, in the separation, he unites all the listeners. The most famous line is "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;/For he to-day that sheds his blood with me/Shall be my brother." If you were listening to that speech, with whom would you want to group yourself? The "band of brothers" or the "gentlemen of England now-a-bed"? Again, this speech is an inspiring call to action ... and a fun read ... if you like that sort of thing!

Henry V's St. Crispen Day Speech