Which ones are the very best?
Throughout American history, our presidents have delivered some of the world’s most memorable and inspirational speeches. Which ones drove the nation and the world to greatness? Which were the most motivating? Here are excerpts from 10 of our favorites. We have selected two by Abraham Lincoln, two by John F. Kennedy, three by Ronald Reagan and one each by Theodore Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Several historic addresses are not included, including Richard Nixon’s famed Checkers speech, George Washington’s Farewell Address and Jimmy Carter’s Malaise speech. Why not? Perhaps we should have included Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine challenge or Woodrow Wilson's Declaration of War on Germany. These and so many others marked important turning points in American history. However, today let’s consider the ten greatest presidential speeches that challenged us to greatness ... and inspired the entire world.