The art of public speaking is known as oratory.
An orator is the person who makes the speech.
For centuries, orators have used their skills to persuade and rally their audiences.
Some speeches are considered significant for the context in which they are given.
Others are also remembered for their powerful use of words.
Read the following quotes from five speeches. Which quotes have your heard before? Do you know who said these words and in what context?
| Quote 1 | '...we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...' |
|---|---|
| Quote 2 | 'To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.' |
| Quote 3 | 'And ain't I a woman? Look at me!' |
| Quote 4 | 'Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.' |
| Quote 5 | '...this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.' |
Choose one of the quotes above and research answers to the following questions. Use the internet, books or other sources of information.
To complete this activity you will need to read or listen to the speech.
You may like to begin with this useful links page (opens in new window).
Turn your responses into a speech and deliver it to a small group of students or your class.
The table below shows who said the words quoted in 'Quote me'.
| Quote 1 | '...we shall fight on the beaches...' — Winston Churchill, 1940 |
|---|---|
| Quote 2 | '...for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry...' — Kevin Rudd, 2008 |
| Quote 3 | 'And ain't I a woman?...' — Sojourner Truth, 1851 |
| Quote 4 | 'ask not what your country can do for you...' — John F. Kennedy, 1961 |
| Quote 5 | '...that government of the people, by the people...' — Abraham Lincoln, 1863 |