One of the quickest and best ways to get a feel for the overall course of American political history is to read through the inaugural addresses of the presidents on the Bartleby "Great Books Online" site.
Please select *one* of the inaugural addresses from the period we have been studying. Read through the address and cite here a line that seems to you particularly important. Try to find a line that might help you and others reading the blog prepare for one of the exam study questions.
- Lyndon Baines Johnson
- Nixon First Inaugural Address
- Nixon Second Inaugural Address
- Jimmy Carter
- Ronald Reagan First Inaugural Address
- Ronald Reagan Second Inaugural Address
- George Bush
- Bill Clinton First Inaugural Address
- Bill Clinton Second Inaugural Address
- George Bush First Inaugural Address
- George Bush Second Inaugural Address
- Barack Obama First Inaugural Address
- Barack Obama Second Inaugural Address
- Donald J. Trump
- Joseph Robinette Biden
My line of interest from Ronald Reagans First Inagural Address is "Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have. It is a weapon that we as Americans do have. Let that be understood by those who practice terrorism and prey upon their neighbors."
ReplyDeleteOne line from Donald Trump’s 2017 inaugural address that stands out as especially important is:
ReplyDelete“From this day forward, it’s going to be only America first.”
This line is important because it clearly captures the main theme of his presidency’s approach to government and foreign policy. It signals a shift toward prioritizing U.S. national interests over global cooperation, especially in areas like trade, immigration, and international agreements.
It also shows how a short, repeated phrase can define a political message. “America First” became a central slogan of Donald Trump’s presidency and helped frame how he explained his decisions to supporters throughout his time in office.