Though John F. Kennedy was only President of the United States of American for less than three years, his influence had a strong impact upon the direction and the opinions of the nation. We can especially see his influence on the nation through his Inauguration Address and his Civil Rights Address. These two addresses marked a turning point in the history of the United States and we continue to feel his influence today.
His Inaugural Address, in 1961, expressed the goals he hoped to achieve while leading the country as President. For instance, he encouraged the nation to achieve greatness in all areas. A prime example was his call to build a rocket and land it on the moon. He inspired a nation to set its sights on the stars and to achieve
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He expresses that freedom is a vital expectation of human life when he said, “granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it." Here, in his Inaugural Address, JFK makes it clear that freedom is necessary for the entire worldwide. He also proclaimed, “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 to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” He made it clear that the nation should be focused on achieving greatness for the sake of the …show more content…
He said, “One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free. They are not yet freed from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this Nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all its citizens are free.” Just like in his Inaugural Address, JFK’s style and tone is raising the eyes of the nation to achieve new goals and objectives that will improve the lives of all citizens. His encouraging words promised freedom that would help uplift the nation and help it flourish beyond its current potential. At a later time, JFK spoke again of this vision when he said before the Irish Parliament, “The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were.” Whether it be landing on the moon or encouraging racial equality, both were possible to this President with a dream for a better