Great Presidential Speeches That Moved a Nation

John Kennedy tells America that the torch has been passed. Image: JFK Library.

Words are important. That is why one of the true marks of a good leader is the ability to communicate ideas and intentions to people, to motivate them and guide them toward a common goal.

In American history, our presidents have used the power of words to guide the people and the nation. Of the millions of words that have been spoken by these 44 men over the past 200-plus years, there are a handful of times when those words have been used to their maximum effect.

George Washington’s Farewell Address, September 19, 1796. This address was really a letter published and reprinted in newspapers across the country. Washington hit a lot of points that resonated. First, he announced that he would not seek a third term, even though many people at the time wanted the Big Man to take the job for life. It was an awesome gesture of humility and foresight that killed any lingering ideas of American monarchy and set a truly republican tone for the nation.

Washington had no plans on being president for life.
Image: MountVernon.org

Washington also warned against the rise of factions (what we now euphemistically refer to as political parties), getting involved in foreign entanglements, and a host of other nefarious practices that his…