American History through Its Greatest Speeches: A Documentary History of the United States [3 volumes]

by Jolyon P. Girard, Darryl Mace, Courtney Michelle Smith

Overview

What did America's greatest orators say regarding significant issues and concerns throughout United States history? This three-volume set examines hundreds of the most historically significant speeches from colonial times to the modern era, allowing readers to consider exactly what the speakers said—and to better understand the motivations behind each speech as well as the effect on the audiences that heard them.

This essential reference work presents the most important and historically significant speeches delivered since colonial times, providing in essence a documentary history of the United States through these public utterances. Readers can witness American history unfold firsthand through these stirring and at times controversial speeches—from Patrick Henry's fiery words calling for an American revolution, through the words of the 19th-century abolitionists and Lincoln's immortal Gettysburg Address, and up through the 20th century with President Wilson's famous "Fourteen Points," FDR reminding Americans that the only thing they had to fear was fear itself, and George W. Bush responding to the attacks of September 11. For students, teachers, librarians, and general readers, this indispensable work provides essential reference resources on the speeches of great significance in American history.

Each speech is prefaced by a contextual headnote that provides essential background information and specific details about the speech. This three-volume set also includes a timeline, a historical review of each era, biographical sketches of each speaker, and anecdotal sidebars containing additional information about the speech or speakers.

• Presents chronologically arranged entries that provide a documentary view of American history through the speeches that have shaped the United States
• Includes background material that gives students primary texts to work with and helps them develop their critical reading, thinking, and writing skills
• Supplies extensive background information that places each speech in its historical context

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781610699693
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/05/2016
Pages:	1264
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.85(h) x 3.65(d)

About the Author

Jolyon P. Girard, PhD, is professor emeritus at Cabrini University, Radnor, PA.

Darryl Mace, PhD, is chair of history and political science at Cabrini University.

Courtney Michelle Smith, PhD, is associate professor of history and political science and core curriculum director at Cabrini University.

Editorial Reviews

"This set will enhance and facilitate inquiry by those studying or teaching U.S. history, political science, and public speaking or communications. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All libraries. All levels." - Choice

Top Community College Resource, June 2017 - Choice

"[T]his encyclopedia goes beyond the usual suspects, pulling together many other important, thought-provoking speeches, especially in Volume 3 (1900–2015), which tackles a time period that hasn’t been as thoroughly explored in primary document collections. VERDICT Recommended for high school students, undergraduates, and nonspecialist researchers." - Library Journal

From the Publisher

11/15/2017
Examining U.S. history from the colonial era to the 21st century, Cabrini University professors Smith (history & political science), Darryl Mace (history & political science; In Remembrance of Emmett Till), and Jolyon Girard (history emeritus; America and the World) present speeches with plenty of historical context. Divided into four chapters, each volume begins with a chronology of the period it covers. Each chapter starts with a four-page historical summary and a brief but comprehensive overview of the background of the featured oration. At the end of each book are biographical sketches of the speakers and suggested readings. This set will stretch readers' thinking about what constitutes a speech (which the editors acknowledge in the introduction), including several songs in the first volume as well as documents that were read aloud, such as the Declaration of Independence. The greatest hits are here, among them Jonathan Edwards's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold," and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "The Four Freedoms." But this encyclopedia goes beyond the usual suspects, pulling together many other important, thought-provoking speeches, especially in Volume 3 (1900–2015), which tackles a time period that hasn't been as thoroughly explored in primary document collections. VERDICT Recommended for high school students, undergraduates, and nonspecialist researchers.—Robert Mixner, Bartholomew Cty. P.L., Columbus, IN

Library Journal