Teachable Moment: American Speeches from Past Conventions

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

Tis the season for dynamic speakers and speeches. And this is the site to hear and see great speeches--hundreds of them. Thinking about Ronald Reagan lately? Or John F. Kennedy? Or maybe you would like to relive Barack Obama's 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address?

 The following Convention speech has been in the news lately. Bryant lost to McKinley in this election of 1896.

William Jennings Bryan

Democratic National Convention Address 1896 

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/williamjenningsbryan1896dnc.htm 

This is the famous 'Cross of Gold' Speech, basically about labor and international economics. Sound familiar?

William Jennings Bryant

You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.


And if you like Lincoln, there are famous actors like Sam Waterston reading Abe's speeches. Good preparation for Spielberg's movie coming up.