Comparing Jfk and Lincolns Inagural Speeches Essay

Zachary Soliman Freshman Composition Professor Andrew Worthington 11/26/12 Addressing the Nation Throughout the history of the United States of America, there have been many leaders. President Abraham Lincoln and President John F. Kennedy are arguably two of the greatest presidents that this country has had. Whether it was 1865, during the bloodiest war in the history of the US, or 1961, during the most tense international power struggle that we have ever faced, these men were able to do what was needed to get the job done. The one ideal that they shared that made them great leaders was an aspiration to make this country the best in the world. Some differences between these men were their specific goals as leaders. While Lincoln was†¦show more content†¦In a way, Lincoln is defending the fact that he is still fighting, because he knows that if the North didn’t fight, then the Union would be no more. This part of his Inaugural Address, being the main idea, shows how Lincoln is mostly speaking in the past. He is telling the country very speci fically what has happened in the past few years, and why we are fighting that war. President John F. Kennedy, on the other hand, focused his speech more toward the future. He is also much more general about his goals, where Lincoln is much more specific, in only speaking about the war. In his speech, President Kennedy states, â€Å"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.†(Kennedy, 240) It is here where JFK states his main goal for the nation, and that is to protect liberty at home and around the globe. This is a much more general idea than President Lincoln, but both along the same lines. Lincoln was striving to give freedom and rights – liberty – to many people in this country that have been oppressed for many years. President Kennedy wants the same idea to spread, but on a much broader scale. JFK wants to support worldwide human rights and peace, and support allied nations. He is much more focused on the