Taylor Phillips
Professor Kroll
SPCH 1315
August 8, 2015
Art of Public Speaking Public speaking has had a revolutionary impact on our world. Being able to communicate with an audience in order to make a difference is perhaps one of the most studied topics in America. During the time of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, America was struck with a loss of hope and discrimination. However, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King delivered two speeches that are perhaps the most well known pieces of political oratory in American history. The two speeches impacted America in countless ways and related to similar topics, but also differed in speaking structure and delivery. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln and “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King shed light during a dark time in our nation, while utilizing essential public speaking methods. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln is one of the most famous speeches given in American history. Lincoln presented the speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the year of 1863 during the time of the Civil War. Due to the enormous death toll from the war, Lincoln spoke at a cemetery that was being honored. Although the speech lasted about two minutes and was only 272 words, those …show more content…
He emphasized key phrases through the use of repetition at the beginning of sentences. For instance, he used amplification as a way to form greater emphasis on detail by making a point twice. He was able to build a relationship with the audience by alluding to past events and references that were already heavily loaded with emotions. He not only continuously repeated the overall theme, but also built credibility through the use of specific examples to instill the argument being made. Overall, Martin Luther King was able to impact the American people successfully and form a movement, which is why “I Have a Dream” is one of the most memorable speeches of all
Professor Kroll
SPCH 1315
August 8, 2015
Art of Public Speaking Public speaking has had a revolutionary impact on our world. Being able to communicate with an audience in order to make a difference is perhaps one of the most studied topics in America. During the time of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, America was struck with a loss of hope and discrimination. However, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King delivered two speeches that are perhaps the most well known pieces of political oratory in American history. The two speeches impacted America in countless ways and related to similar topics, but also differed in speaking structure and delivery. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln and “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King shed light during a dark time in our nation, while utilizing essential public speaking methods. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln is one of the most famous speeches given in American history. Lincoln presented the speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in the year of 1863 during the time of the Civil War. Due to the enormous death toll from the war, Lincoln spoke at a cemetery that was being honored. Although the speech lasted about two minutes and was only 272 words, those …show more content…
He emphasized key phrases through the use of repetition at the beginning of sentences. For instance, he used amplification as a way to form greater emphasis on detail by making a point twice. He was able to build a relationship with the audience by alluding to past events and references that were already heavily loaded with emotions. He not only continuously repeated the overall theme, but also built credibility through the use of specific examples to instill the argument being made. Overall, Martin Luther King was able to impact the American people successfully and form a movement, which is why “I Have a Dream” is one of the most memorable speeches of all