ENG V Q2:

The American Dream

Martin Luther King´s “I have a Dream“ speech (1963)

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) was an American Baptist minister, activist,
and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil
rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. A Black church leader
and a son of early civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Sr., King
advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States
through nonviolence and civil disobedience. Inspired by his Christian beliefs and
the nonviolent activism of Mahatma Gandhi, he led targeted, nonviolent
resistance against Jim Crow laws and other forms of discrimination in the United
States.

"I Have a Dream" is a public speech that was delivered by MLK during the March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom on August 28, 1963. In the speech, King called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the
United States. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech was one of the most famous moments of the civil rights movement and
among the most iconic speeches in American history.

1| Before listening to the speech, study the KNOWLEDGE BOX on the Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Proclamation (Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King)

In the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared freedom for all slaves. In the
same year, Lincoln delivered a famous speech in Gettysburg which began with the statement: “Four score and
seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to
the proposition that all men are created equal.“ He was referring to the signing of the Declaration of
Independence 87 years previously (one score = 20 years) and thus praised equality and liberty. This well-known
phrase is inscribed on the wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. One hundred years later, Martin
Luther King gave his iconic speech in fron of the Lincoln Memorial on the occasion of March on Washington for
Jobs and Freedom for African Americans.

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 Q2:
The American Dream

2| Listen to the beginning of the speech and describe the tone of the speech. (00:00 - 02:06)

The tone of the speech at the beginning can be described as…..

enthusiastic/passionate
joyful
cheerful
lively
compassionate confident/
devoted optimistic
supportive
amused
humorous/light-hearted
conversational
calm
serious
restless
annoyed
bitter
pessimistic disappointed
disrespectful alarmed

3| While you are listening, work though tasks 3a - d. (00:00-06:00)

Multiple matching
a| Match the items on the left to the correct comparison on the right. There are two more items on the right
than needed.

Emancipation Proclamation
political oppression

burning in flames of injustice

Negro slaves
light of hope

lawlessness
captivity/slavery
long night

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The American Dream

b| Tick the point that Dr King does not mention when he talks about the situation of African Americans in the
past.

African Americans….

A …faced segregation and discrimination.

B …were isolated on an island of poverty.

C …lived in the shadows of light.

D …found themselves in the corners of American society.

Short answers
c| Write down keywords.
What is the "promissory note" *and what does it say? (*written promise to pay at a fix time)

1.

2.

To what extent has America "defaulted" *on this "promissory note"? (*failing to pay a financial obligation)

1.

2.

Sentence completion
d| Complete the following sentences using one or two words.

According to Dr King, it is time to make real promises of 1. _____________________________

and lift the nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of
2._________________________. The sweltering summer of discontent will eventually turn to an
autumn of 3. _________________________ and 4. _____________________________.

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The American Dream

4| Note taking
1|a Take short notes on Dr King´s philosophy in connection with the keywords below (06:00-08:30)

rest/tranquility

dignity/discipline

soul force

freedom of blacks
and whites

1|b In your own words, list the elements of Dr King´s dream (11:00 - 14:20)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

5| Describe the tone at the end of the speech.

The tone at the end of of the speech can be described as…..

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The American Dream

6| The word cloud shows the words of MLK´s speech. Explain his choice of words in relation to the message

of the speech.

7 | Briefly state your take-home message about MLK’s philosophy.