OurSpeeches: Share with the World

Public Speaking

Written in: Grade 7 | Year: 2009

It’s one of the most boring assignments on earth and yet many made history. From blacks being treated the same as whites to letting the first man go to space. It helps you develop many skills, from building your vocabulary to controlling your voice. These few things are from the world of public speaking.

The act, art or process of making effective speeches, is the definition for public speaking whenever you look it up in a dictionary. Public speaking can range from simply transmitting information, to motivate people to act, to simply telling a story. Did you know the first well known work was written over twenty-five thousand years ago?

Here’s some advice for you when you’re faced to read your speech. First let’s start with the most important, body language. What should be expected is for you to stand still and use gestures. It’s a little better that walking around and making the viewer keep on moving their head to see you! Then there is speaking with conviction which you really want because you don’t want to read your speech without even meaning what you’re saying. The best part to put this is from introduction to body to conclusion! Another major one is don’t just read from your notes! For any extended length of time although it is quite acceptable to glance at your notes infrequently! Speak loudly and clearly. Sound confident. Don’t mumble. If you made an error, correct it and continue. No need to make excuses or apologize. Always remember to pause, allow yourself and the audience to reflect on what you just said. Perhaps even try using humor at the right time. Using humor makes the audience interested. So next time you have to present your speech to an audience remember an interesting speech makes time fly, and a boring speech seems long even if it’s the same time. Many of the well known men and women used it like Martin Luther King and Barack Obama or even Susan B. Anthony.

Let’s take a look at a few of the great speeches that made history.

First let’s start with a man named John F. Kennedy. On May 25th, 1961 in Houston, Texas, Mr. Kennedy quoted “It was time for America to go where no man has gone before!” On April 12th, 1961, the Soviets launched the first man in space. Some of you might know the saying or quote ”Space Race” which came from his speech.

Now forty-nine years from there, on November 4th,2008 a speech from Barack Obama named “ This is Your Victory” was one of two which made history. Barack Obama quoted” If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founder’s is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer!” This speech was written for the United States Presidential election. Obama tried focusing on major issues of the States and the rest of the world.

There is a lady named Susan B. Anthony whose speech was about ladies having the right to vote. How this speech came to be was when Mrs. Anthony tried to illegally vote. Back then women didn’t have so many rights. She was fined one hundred dollars which was a lot back then, but refused to pay it.

Finally there was one of the greatest speeches which changed history for good. On August 28th, 1963 Martin Luther King presented the speech named “I have a dream.” Mr. King desired for blacks and whites to be treated equally. He wanted the blacks to no longer sit in the back of the bus. Martin Luther King delivered this speech to over two-hundred and fifty thousand civil rights supporters. This one speech is often considered to be one of the greatest speeches in history, and was ranked the top. His speech alone made John F. Kennedy literally pressured to change or advance the civil rights act.

So next time you have to be faced to write a speech, remember while you’re doing your research, brainstorming, and putting it all together you learn so much. Or even consider your speech could even make school history.