Top 10 Famous Speeches
Summary
TLDRWatchMojo.com presents the top 10 famous speeches in history, each with a profound impact on their audiences. From Alexander the Great's motivational address to his troops, to Hitler's declaration of war on the USA, these speeches have shaped the course of history. Notable speeches include Pericles' Funeral Oration, Patrick Henry's 'Give me liberty or give me death' at the Second Virginia Convention, JFK's inaugural address, and Mahatma Gandhi's call for nonviolent resistance. The list also features iconic speeches by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, each reflecting resilience, vision, and the power of oratory.
Takeaways
- 🎤 The video discusses the top 10 famous speeches in history, emphasizing their power to inspire and influence people.
- 🏰 Alexander the Great's speech before the campaign into India highlights his ability to command loyalty and motivate his army to continue fighting.
- 🗣️ Adolf Hitler's declaration of war on the USA in 1941 showcased his oratory skills and ability to rally support for his actions.
- 🏛️ Pericles' funeral oration after the Peloponnesian War aimed to honor the fallen and motivate Athenians to continue the fight.
- ✊ Patrick Henry's 'Give me liberty or give me death' speech at the Second Virginia Convention was a pivotal moment in rallying support for the American Revolution.
- 🇺🇸 John F. Kennedy's inaugural address in 1961 emphasized the importance of resilience and nationalism, with the famous line 'Ask not what your country can do for you...'
- 🌳 Mahatma Gandhi's Quit India speech in 1942 called for nonviolent resistance against British rule, influencing the Indian independence movement.
- 🗣️ Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address in 1933 provided hope and reassurance during the Great Depression with the famous line 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself'.
- 🏰 Winston Churchill's 'We Shall Fight on the Beaches' speech during the Battle of France in 1940 was a rallying cry for British resistance against Nazi Germany.
- 🌈 Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech in 1963 was a powerful call for an end to racism and racial equality in America.
- 📜 Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in 1863 is one of the most famous speeches in American history, emphasizing the principles of freedom, liberty, and equality.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the video script?
-The main theme of the video script is the countdown of the top 10 famous speeches in history, highlighting their significance and impact on people.
Who is the narrator of the video script?
-The narrator is not explicitly named in the script, but it is implied to be a presenter from watchmojo.com.
What criteria were used to select the speeches for the list?
-The criteria for selecting the speeches include formal speeches delivered to an audience, excluding impromptu quotes and religious sermons.
Which historical figure's speech is listed as number 10 on the countdown?
-The speech by Alexander the Great, motivating his men to continue their campaign into India, is listed as number 10.
What was the context of Adolf Hitler's speech that made it to the list?
-Adolf Hitler's speech was given on December 11th, 1941, when Germany declared war on the United States, following the United States' declaration of war on Germany.
What is the significance of Pericles' Funeral Oration?
-Pericles' Funeral Oration was a speech given at a public funeral for Athenian men killed in the Peloponnesian War, aiming to motivate Athenians to continue fighting.
What famous phrase is associated with Patrick Henry's speech at the Second Virginia Convention?
-The famous phrase associated with Patrick Henry's speech is 'Give me liberty or give me death.'
Outlines
🗣️ Top 10 Famous Speeches in History
This paragraph introduces a countdown of the top 10 famous speeches in history, highlighting their power to inspire and influence millions. It sets the stage for a discussion of formal speeches delivered to audiences, excluding impromptu quotes and religious sermons. The list aims to cover speeches that have shaped history and had a significant impact on their listeners.
🏰 Alexander the Great's Campaign into India
The paragraph discusses Alexander the Great's speech to his army during the campaign into India. Despite his legendary ability to command loyalty, his men were weary after years of fighting and refused to advance further. Alexander's rousing speech, ending with a promise to make those who stayed the envy of those who returned, aimed to motivate his troops to continue their conquests.
🌐 Hitler's Declaration of War on the USA
This section covers Adolf Hitler's speech on December 11th, 1941, when Germany declared war on the United States. Hitler, known for his oratory skills, used this opportunity to summarize Germany's military successes and justify the declaration of war. The speech is noted for its impact on involving America fully in both the European and Pacific theaters of World War II.
🏛️ Pericles' Funeral Oration
The paragraph highlights Pericles' funeral oration, a speech given at a public funeral for Athenian men killed in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta. Pericles, a significant figure in Classical Greece, used his speech to praise Athens and motivate its citizens to continue fighting, ensuring the fallen did not die in vain. His rhetoric aimed to inspire Athenians to persevere in the face of a seemingly endless war.
🔥 Patrick Henry's 'Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death'
This paragraph recounts Patrick Henry's impassioned speech at the second Virginia convention in 1775, where he uttered the famous words 'Give me liberty or give me death.'
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Speeches
💡Inspire
💡Motivate
💡Influence
💡Historical Context
💡Rhetoric
💡Revolution
💡Nonviolent Resistance
💡War
💡Freedom
💡Equality
Highlights
Words have the power to inspire, motivate, and influence millions.
Top 10 famous speeches in history are being counted down.
Alexander the Great's campaign into India speech motivated his army to continue conquering.
Adolf Hitler's speech declaring war on the USA in 1941 highlighted Germany's military successes.
Pericles' funeral oration praised Athenians and motivated them to continue fighting in the Peloponnesian War.
Patrick Henry's 'Give me liberty or give me death' speech was a call to arms for the American Revolution.
John F. Kennedy's inaugural address emphasized resilience and nationalism in the face of global challenges.
Mahatma Gandhi's Quit India speech advocated for nonviolent resistance against British occupation.
Franklin D. Roosevelt's first inaugural address promised to wage war against the Great Depression.
Winston Churchill's 'We shall fight on the beaches' speech prepared the British for war after France's defeat.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech called for an end to racism and racial equality in America.
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address redefined the purpose of the Civil War and the principles of the nation.
The Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous speeches in American history.
Lincoln's speech was a moving plea to continue fighting for freedom, liberty, and equality.
The impact of the Gettysburg Address has been transformative and enduring in US history.
Transcripts
[Music]
words have the power to inspire motivate
and influence millions of people which
is exactly what these speeches did and I
still believe that these problems can be
solved welcome to watchmojo.com and
today we're counting down our picks for
the top 10 famous speeches in history we
make speeches for each other and those
English liberal magazines that may grant
us a few lines for this list we're
looking at formal speeches delivered to
an audience and are not including
impromptu quotes such as Neil
Armstrong's that's one small step for
man
one for man or sermons from religious
figures such as Jesus Christ ye are the
salt of the earth but if the salt has
lost his Savor wherewith shall it be
salted
number 10 campaign into India Alexander
the Great his conquests hinged on his
Army's use of advanced technology but
they also depended on Alexander's
legendary ability to command the Loyalty
of thousands of men one of the greatest
conquerors the world has ever seen by
335 BC Alexander the Great controlled
all of Greece Egypt and the Persian
Empire I don't think Alexander saw any
military engagement as anything other
than an opportunity to build his own
heroic stature Alexander wanted more
than that however and set his sights on
India unfortunately after nearly 10
years of fighting his army had no
interest in traveling further east and
threatened Mutiny they rebelled against
him they refused to go further and he
had to turn around Alexander having
studied under Aristotle gave a rousing
speech to motivate his men to continue
to fight ending it by stating I will
make those who stay the Envy of those
who return and all your great victories
fade it will always be remembered you
left your king in Asia for I will go on
with my
Asians number nine Germany declares war
on the USA Adolf
[Applause]
Hitler
St hey we didn't say all of these guys
were good guys a fantastic orator with
the ability to inspire Millions to carry
out his
plans one of Hitler's greatest speeches
came on December 11th 1941 when Germany
declared war on the United States after
summarizing Germany's military successes
in the previous year Hitler turned his
attention to the United States He
stressed that Germany had had done
nothing wrong to America at any point in
[Music]
history out of retaliation the United
States declared war on Germany later
that day making sure America was fully
involved in both the European and
Pacific Theaters of the war
number eight funeral oration Pericles
it's probably not a more important
figure in the history of Classical
Greece than Pericles what do you say to
a city that has seen fathers husbands
and Sons die in a war that has no end in
sight that was the task facing Pericles
when he gave a speech at a public
funeral for all Athenian men who had
been killed in the pelian war against
Sparta pericles's expectation was that
after a year or two but no more than
three the Spartans would realize that
they could not win the war because the
Athenians would never give them the
Infantry battle they needed in order to
win and they had no other device
available rather than mourn the dead
Pericles enthusiastically praised Athens
and its citizens he used his rhetoric
ability to motivate all Athenians to
continue to fight to ensure these men
did not die in vain the state thus
offers a valuable prize as the Garland
of victory in this race of Valor for the
reward both of those who have fallen and
their survivors and where the rewards
for merit are greatest there are found
the best citizens is it any wonder the
historian thiddies called him the first
citizen of Athens but for all his power
and sway Perles did not rule the
city for Athens was a democracy number
seven
second Virginia convention Patrick Henry
I know not what course others may take
but as for me Give me liberty or give me
death Give me liberty or give me death
these famous words that would forever be
associated with the American Revolution
were spoken by Patrick Henry at the
second Virginia convention in
1775 we must fight i p sir we must fight
Virginia was one of of the most
important colonies in the new world and
without its help the revolution had
little chance of succeeding there is no
retreat but in submission and slavery
our chains are forged their cranking may
be heard on the plains of Boston the war
is inevitable and let it come I repeat
sir Let It Come Henry's speech was so
powerful that the entire convention
which contained the likes of George
Washington and Thomas Jefferson is said
to have sat in silence for several
minutes afterward Patrick Henry was more
responsible for getting the revolution
underway than any other founding father
number six inaugural address John F
Kennedy let us go forth to lead the land
we
love asking his Blessing and his
help but knowing that here on Earth
God's work must truly be our own after
two world wars a conflict in Korea a
crippling depression and relations with
the Soviet Union reaching a boiling
point the United States needed a reason
to feel optimistic but most threatening
of all he sees nearly 1,600 American
strategic bombers and 200
intercontinental ballistic missiles
which can strike the Soviet Union from
the US enter John F Kennedy do you want
a man for president Who season through
and through at only 43 JFK was the
youngest president to ever be elected
and he gave one of the most memorable
inauguration addresses of all time and
let every other power know that this
hemisphere intends to remain the master
of its own
house stressing the importance of
resiliency and nationalism he famously
stated and so my fellow
Americans ask not what your country can
do for you ask what you can do for your
[Applause]
country number five quit India mahat
mandhi until we stand in the fields with
the millions that toil each day under
the hot sun we will not represent
India nor will we ever be able to
challenge the
British as one nation many passionate
speeches have been given by someone
speaking up for an oppressed people but
rarely have they advoc ated for passive
resistance this salt comes from the
Indian Ocean let every Indian claim it
as his
right and so once more the man of
nonviolence has challenged the might of
the British Empire mahat mandhi did
exactly that in 1942 when he called for
nonviolent resistance to British
occupation and inspired the quit India
movement
declaring here is a mantra a short one
that I give you it is do or die we shall
either free India or die in the attempt
calling himself a friend of Britain he
declared that he was attempting to save
the British from their mistakes while
the quit India movement was ultimately a
failure the British government did
eventually Grant India Independence
nonviolent revolution had freed
India in the 50 years since it has
transformed the world as as Martin
Luther King later said Christ gave me
the message Gandhi gave me the method
number four inaugural address Franklin
Delano Roosevelt one has to imagine
millions of people clustered around
their radio sets and towns all across
the country they don't know what to
expect of this new President JFK surely
delivered one of the greatest inaugural
addresses in history but decades earlier
Franklin Delano Roosevelt began his
lengthy career as president
with this iconic speech they only know
the rules of a generation of
self-seekers they have no vision and
when there is no vision the people
perish at the time America was in the
middle of the worst depression in
history and had essentially run Herbert
Hoover out of office and I am convinced
that you will again give that support to
leadership in these critical days FDR
was able to win over the hearts and
Minds of a discouraged American
population with a passionate and
confident speech promising to wage war
against the economic crisis facing the
country of course having a strong
opening line always helps let me assert
my firm belief that the only thing we
have to fear is fear itself number three
we shall fight on the beaches Winston
Churchill if we had kept together after
the last war if we had taken common
measures for our safety this renewal of
the curse need never have fallen upon it
one of three key speeches given by
Churchill during the Battle of France
this rousing address was delivered under
less than ideal circumstances and if you
look at uh what Churchill achieved every
day it is absolutely mind-boggling he
was running on a different kind of
petrol the English prime minister was
forced to not only warn the English
people about the potential for France's
catastrophic defeat but also also to
prepare them for war on their home soil
less than a month earlier Churchill had
declared that the Allies would be
victorious with this looking less and
less likely by the day Churchill
resoundingly stated that the British
would never surrender to Germany we
shall Never
Surrender instead he memorably said they
would fight them in France on the seas
in the air in the streets and on the
beaches fighting in the seas and oceans
we shall fight with growing confidence
and growing strength in the air we shall
defend our Island whatever the cost may
be number two I have a dream Martin
Luther King Jr America has given the
Negro people a bad check a check which
has come back marked insufficient f one
of the most inspirational speeches of
all time Martin Luther King Jr delivered
this famous call to action to over
250,000 people people on the steps of
the Lincoln Memorial in
1963 and the
destruction the life and of the ongoing
progress of the Negro will be the
destruction of the ongoing progress of
the nation King demanded an end to
racism in America stating that 100 years
after the Emancipation Proclamation
African-Americans were still not
considered equal now is the time to rise
from the dark and desol Valley of
segregation to the sunlit path of racial
Justice perhaps surprisingly the I Have
a Dream line was not in the original
draft it was improvised on the spot by
King after gospel singer mahelia Jackson
yelled out from the crowd urging him to
tell them about the dream I have a
dream my poor little
children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the
color of that skin but by the content of
that character I have a dream today
before we yield the floor to our top
pick here are a few honorable mentions
hence every discrimination against women
in the Constitutions and laws of the
several States is today null and void
precisely as is everyone against Negroes
I have only one thing to say you turn if
you want
to the ladies not for turning well now
it is time to be off I to die and you to
live but which of us has the happier
Prospect is unknown to anyone but Heaven
if you seek prosperity for the Soviet
Union and Eastern Europe if you seek
liberalization come here to this gate Mr
gorbachov Open this gate
today I can consider myself the luckiest
man on the face of the Earth
[Applause]
Earth number one the Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln I think if I had my
choice of all the moments to be present
added in that war period it would be a
Gettysburg during Lincoln's delivery the
Gettysburg Address is without a doubt
one of the most famous speeches in
American history and then he went on to
to embolden the union cause with some of
the most stirring words ever spoken
taking inspiration from Pericles funeral
oration Lincoln delivered it 4 months
after the Union Army defeated the
Confederacy at the bloody Battle of
Gettysburg Four score and 7even years
ago our fathers brought forth upon this
continent a new
nation conceived in Liberty in less than
3 minutes Lincoln issued a moving plea
for the union to pay tribute to the dead
by continuing to fight for the
principles outlined in the Declaration
of Independence Freedom Liberty and
equality finally the president Hears A
Long thunderous
Applause Now history will take the
measure of the president's remarks
referenced countless times including by
JFK and Martin Luther King Jr the
transformative impact of this speech on
the country has earned it a pro minent
place in the history of the United
States and that government of the People
by the people for the
people shall not perish from the earth
do you agree with our list
on what's your favorite famous speech
for more exciting top 10 published every
day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com because you've fallen in
love with all the things in life that
destroy
[Music]
men
Weitere ähnliche Videos ansehen
How to read a document | The historian's toolkit | US History | Khan Academy
Abraham Lincoln: The Civil War President (Complete Bio)
TEKNIK KHITOBAH
Frederick Douglass: Crash Course Black American History #17
GOVERNMENT Policies During the CIVIL WAR [APUSH Review Unit 5 Topic 9] Period 5: 1844-1877
Grade 9 English Q1 Ep10: Conditionals Part 6
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)