HIST153 Great American Speeches of the 20th Century

Department of Social & Behavioral Science: History

  1. Course Number and Title

    HIST153 Great American Speeches of the 20th Century (Experimental)

  2. Number of Credits

    3 credits

  3. Minimum Number of Instructional Minutes Per Semester

    2250 minutes

  4. Prerequisites

    None

    Corequisites

    None

  5. Other Pertinent Information

    None

  6. Catalog Course Description

    Students will read, hear and/or watch fifteen notable political speeches of the 20th century and analyze them from historical, political, and rhetorical perspectives. After formulating their own analysis of a speech, students will research its immediate and long-term effects in American history.

  7. Required Course Content and Direction

    1. Learning Goals:

      Students will be able to
      1. describe the background and historical setting of the selected speeches.
      2. analyze the speeches from the perspective of issues raised, style, tone, and rhetorical devices used.
      3. evaluate the political effectiveness of the speechs from a personal perspective.
      4. evaluate the effectiveness of the speeches from the perspective of critical reviews researched.

    2. Planned Sequence of Topics and/or Learning Activities:

      1. Franklin Roosevelt asks Congress to Recognize a State of War with Japan
      2. William Faulkner’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech 1950
      3. John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address 1961
      4. John F. Kennedy’s American University Address 1963
      5. John F. Kennedy’s Speech at the Berlin Wall 1963
      6. Martin Luther King’s Speech at the March on Washington 1963
      7. Ronald Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” 1964 (Why I Am a Conservative)
      8. Senator Barry Goldwater’s “Extremism in Defense of Liberty…” Speech 1964
      9. Fanny Lou Hamer's Vooting Rights Speech DNC 1964
      10. Ozzie Davis “Our Shining Black Prince” Eulogy of Malcolm X 1965
      11. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I’ve been to the Mountaintop” Speech
      12. Robert F. Kennedy’s Announcement of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination
      13. Mario Cuomo Keynote Address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention
      14. Jesse Jackson Address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention
      15. Ronald Reagan on the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion 1984
      16. Ronald Reagan “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
      17. George W. Bush Address to Congress and the Nation, September 20, 2001 (Following the 9-11 attack on the World Trade Center)
      18. Barak Obama Democratic National Convention Keynote Address 2004

    3. Assessment Methods for Core Learning Goals:

      The assessment of course learning goals will be based on written exams, quizzes, presentations, and performance-based tasks and projects.

      This course is not included in the Core Curriculum; however, higher order thinking skills will be fully integrated throughout the assessment methods listed above.

    4. Reference, Resource, or Learning Materials to be used by Students:

      A variety of on-line sources will be included in the course format.

  8. Teaching Methods Employed

    This multi-media, student-centered course will make extensive use of class discussions and student performance-based projects. Each speech will be examined in the following pattern: A lecture/guided reading of the setting/historic background of the speech; the viewing/listening of the address; analysis of the content, tone, style, and political effectiveness; brief personal reaction papers or other performance based responses.

Review/Approval Date - Unavailable