Art of Public Speaking: Lessons from the Greatest Speeches in History

by John R. Hale (Biography)

The following materials are provided to enhance your learning experience. Click the links below
for free information including a professor-authored course summary, recommended web links,
and a condensed bibliography.
Course Summary - Professor's written description of the course.
Professor Recommended Links
Condensed Bibliography - Prepared by the professor for this course.

Course Summary

How should one go about learning how to write and present a speech, no matter the occasion?
Why not study lessons from history's greatest speeches and speakers? This unique course
explores the greatest speeches in history and sets out practical tips that we can use for any
public speaking situation. Our historic speechmakers include Demosthenes, Saint Paul, Queen
Elizabeth, Patrick Henry, Tecumseh, and Abraham Lincoln. The lectures use historical case
studies to glean insight into every aspect of public speaking, from topic and style to opening and
closing.
The power of a call to action: Abraham Lincoln's oration at Gettysburg.
The power of presentation: 55-year-old Queen Elizabeth delivering a stirring call to arms in the
field—“to live or die amongst you all”—among soldiers on the eve of battle with the Spanish
Armada.
The power of sharing a vision: Martin Luther King Jr.'s “I Have a Dream” speech. We unlock the
secrets of history's greatest speeches in a course that is as practical as it is fascinating.
Each of the 12 lectures offers take-away points that are illustrated with a presentation of the
featured speech, including background on the speaker and the context of the speech. Additional
insights are provided by references to many other historic speakers. We will consider how their
lessons apply to everyday modern situations—eulogies, reports, political addresses, legal
arguments, business proposals, toasts, conferences, pregame speeches, sermons, classroom
lectures, and “how-to” explanations—in which you may find yourself called upon to speak in
public.

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Professor Recommend Links

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html
http://www.greatpublicspeaking.blogspot.com
http://www.toastmasters.org

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Condensed Bibliography

These selected titles from the reading list are now available on Amazon.com. Click on a title for
more information and/or to order the title.

Confessions of a Public Speaker. Berkun, S

 Covers the more mundane, practical issues involved with public speaking while
providing lively anecdotes and sound advice.

Great Speeches by Native Americans. Blaisdell, B

Includes Tecumseh's speech, as well as other lesser known addresses by Native

Americans.

Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History, Updated and Expanded Version.
Safire, W

An impressive compendium of great speeches, collected by a former presidential

speechwriter and master of language. Includes the full texts of many of the speeches
found in this course.

The Art of Public Speaking . Carnegie, D

The latest edition of the classic text in modern public speaking, written by a pioneer
in social relations and personal development.

The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write One – and How to Deliver It. Dowis,
R

A step-by-step guide to crafting a great speech, from general organization to word

choice to fielding questions from the audience. Includes excerpts from powerful
historical speeches.

In some cases the only available book from Amazon is a newer edition than the one used by the
professor. The edition used by the professor may be available on the used market.

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