Scope:
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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