Abraham Lincoln’s major speeches as president—at both inaugurals and at Gettysburg—focused on large themes, in particular human nature and God’s will, as well as the character of the nation. The hard ...

Lincoln’s second inaugural address is one of the most consequential presidential speeches in U.S. history, both for its eloquence and its impact. At only 703 words, it was the third shortest inaugural ...

George Washington delivered his first inaugural address before a joint session of Congress in New York City’s Federal Hall on April 30, 1789. Washington, stepping into the newly created role of ...

Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural took place in an atmosphere of crisis and foreboding, heightened by the armed troops that patrolled the streets and the Capitol grounds. South Carolina seceded from ...