Question

Compare and contrast Lincoln’s and Obama’s speeches

Answer 1

Answer:

During his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer, legislator, and vocal opponent of the 16th President of the United States, delivered a speech. This speech was intended to reflect on the never-ending Civil War and to look forward to peace. He used God as a witness as one of his strategies for this reasoning.

Barack Obama, the first African-American president, gave his speech entitled "A More Perfect Union." The goal of this speech was to bring attention to the racism that exists between African Americans and white people. "Yet, words on a parchment would not be enough to free slaves or provide men and women of every race and creed with their full rights and responsibilities as citizens of the United States."

The speeches are all about the same thing: racism against African Americans and how we, as a society, can put an end to it. These two speeches emphasize the importance of cooperation and community in terms of values and persuasive strategies. Both of these speakers want to put an end to racism, so they employ pathos as a rhetorical device when speaking to their audience about it.