Horton Paper 1 Revision
Horton Paper 1 Revision
Horton Paper 1 Revision
Laura Horton
November 2, 2019
Horton 1
Franklin Delano Roosevelt served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933
until his death in 1945. Roosevelt, often referred to as F.D.R., led the American people through
the Great Depression and is most famous for his series of programs and reforms known as the
New Deal. Roosevelt’s first inaugural address was during a pivotal point in American history.
After the 1929 crash of the financial markets and banking industry, the nation was in crisis.
There was widespread unemployment, life savings were wiped out, and there was a loss of faith
in the government’s ability to make economic decisions. His inaugural address was Roosevelt’s
first speech to the American people in this time of trouble. Roosevelt understood the social and
political situation of the time, in which the Democrats had won large majorities in both houses of
Congress, and the American people were both confused and afraid.
The purpose of his address was to show that he was a different president than Hoover and
to lay out the agenda for his new administration. He knew that he must first allay fear and calm
the American people, then create public support and motivate them to change their situation. In
his first inaugural address, Roosevelt gained the confidence of the American people and the
persuasive control of the Congress, as well as muffled Wall Street bankers through his effective
use of rhetorical style and ethical appeal. Roosevelt understood the sentiments of the American
people; therefore, he constructed a speech with powerful metaphors and phrases which they
identified with. He then relied on this support to threaten Congress to grant him broader
executive power. Furthermore, Roosevelt quieted many refutations from Wall Street bankers by
In drafting his speech, Roosevelt figured he “would have to contend with a badly stricken
and confused population” who had already heard too much of Hoover’s economic confidence
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and optimistic preachment ; therefore, he did not want to say anything that would lessen the
public’s impression of the critical realities (Houck and Nocasian). This led Roosevelt to use an
ethical appeal in which he demonstrated that he understood the public’s concerns and persuaded
them to trust him because of his knowledge of their problems. In his opening statement,
Roosevelt showed the American people that he would be honest and sincere with them, rather
than “sugarcoat” the issues as Hoover did. “I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on
my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the
and the American people against the Wall Street bankers who caused the financial problems.
Roosevelt used the rhetorical scapegoat technique as a means to blame the bankers on Wall
Street for the Great Depression (Ryan). He channeled American’s anxieties and frustrations and
used language to denigrate the Wall Street bankers. Roosevelt also used biblical allusions to
imply that the economic crisis was a result of the dishonest actions of bankers, rather than
inadequacies of the American people. He argued that the problems were based on the collective
and individual sins of the corrupt “moneychangers,” the term being a biblical allusion which
Roosevelt used biblical allusions throughout his speech in order to deliver his radical
message in a conservative package. He assured the American people, “we are stricken by no
plagues of locusts,” to counteract the widespread loss of hope and fear that the country was
destined for collective punishment (Roosevelt 3). Roosevelt comforted the public by claiming
that “God is on our side” and that each individual should be a “good neighbor,” referencing the
good Samaritan parable in the Bible (Roosevelt 10). He motivated Americans to take action by
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stating that the ability to recover didn’t depend on God, but rather the country’s own
executive power, he rested on notions of restoration and tradition from biblical metaphors that
were already in the public consciousness. Consequently, Americans viewed him as the messiah
Throughout his speech, Roosevelt used a religious and almost prophetic tone, and addressed
Americans as “my friends” like a preacher would to gain their trust (Doughton). He promised
active and moral leadership, and inspired courage and comfort. Furthermore, Roosevelt blended
these religious undertones with military metaphors to create an integrated image of a holy war.
Roosevelt used military metaphors throughout his speech to garner the support of the
American people. He compared the Great Depression to a wartime crisis to justify his use of
broadened executive power. In his opening statement, Roosevelt claimed that fear “paralyzes
needed efforts to convert retreat into advance” (Roosevelt 1). Then in his closing statement,
Roosevelt asked for “broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as
the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe” (Roosevelt 13).
The Great Depression was the foe, and he argued that the country needed to come together
behind him to attack the problem. Roosevelt cemented that the United States was in a war-like
situation, which according to the Constitution would grant the President additional power.
The American people needed a way of looking at their situation that would enable them
to act, and to act productively. By drawing on the image of a “holy war” against the Great
Depression, Roosevelt implicated both civic and religious elements of society, reinforcing these
values and urging for action. He conveyed that solving the Great Depression would be an ordeal,
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rather than a quick solution. Roosevelt also gave Americans a sense of control over events in
their lives and persuaded them to play an active role in solving the crisis. He argued that
“compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered” the Great Depression was solvable.
Roosevelt reminded the nation that overcoming problems was part of American heritage and that
they would not give up without a fight. Furthermore, his choice of precise and confident
language conveyed a firm, warlike resolve to triumph over adversity, encouraging the American
Throughout his speech, Roosevelt used careful word choice and figures of speech to
connect with the American people while separating himself as a strong and humble leader. In the
first sentence, Roosevelt used “them” to reference the audience of the American people to
separate himself from them to demonstrate that he knew that Americans had expectations of him
as a leader. He then used “we and our” throughout the rest of the first paragraph to suggest that
he was part of the American people and to demonstrate his belief that they should face the
Halfway through his speech, Roosevelt repeated the phrase “it can be helped” five times,
then ended, “but it can never be helped merely by talking about it” to instill confidence in his
ability to address the problems at hand and emphasize the need to act (Roosevelt 7). Later in his
speech, Roosevelt stated, “If I read the temper of our people correctly, we now realize as we
have never realized before our interdependence on each other” (Roosevelt 10). “If” served as a
Throughout his speech, Roosevelt used the word “common” as an emotional appeal to
American’s sense of community. In the second paragraph, Roosevelt discussed the “common
difficulties” that Americans faced in an effort to show individuals that they were not alone. In the
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seventeenth paragraph, he explained the “common discipline” which Americans must share
when facing challenges together. Then, in the eighteenth paragraph, Roosevelt talked about the
“common problems” to emphasize how the nation would address the issues together to improve
The purpose of an inaugural address is “to officially introduce and inform the audience
about the president’s plans and intentions as a leader of the United States,” and explain how he
will enhance the wellbeing of the country as president (Weber). Roosevelt’s speech is a good
example of an inaugural address because it fits the five criteria established by Campbell and
Jamieson. These five requirements function to create a sense of unity within audience members
by identifying them as “the people” of the United States; reinforcing previously established,
communal values; identifying the political practices that will be used by the administration;
specifying that the president acknowledges and is in agreement with the limitations of his
In his opening statement, Roosevelt used the phrase, “my fellow Americans,” to unify the
people of the United states (Roosevelt 1). He then claimed, “the joy and moral stimulation of
work no longer must be forgotten” to reinforce traditional values (Roosevelt 5). Roosevelt stated,
“hand in hand with this we must frankly recognize the overbalance of population in our
better use of the land for those best fit for the land” to identify the political practices that would
be used by his administration (Roosevelt 7). In his inaugural he asserted, “It is to be hoped that
the normal balance of executive and legislative authority may be wholly adequate to meet the
unprecedented task before us. But it may be that an unprecedented demand and need for
undelayed action may call for temporary departure from that normal balance of public
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while recognizing that times were desperate and may call for temporary, unprecedented action.
At the end of his speech, Roosevelt expressed, “We aim at the assurance of a rounded and
permanent national life” to emphasize the transcendent power of the United States government
(Roosevelt 15).
Roosevelt’s speech also follows the typical arrangement of an inaugural address (Liu).
He began with a greeting addressing the American people, then confirmed his role as president,
next articulated the sentiments of Americans and their challenges, then called for change, next
aroused patriotism, then announced his plans, and finished by calling on the American people to
act. In his opening paragraph, Roosevelt referred to the American people as “my fellow
Americans” to kindly greet them (Roosevelt 1). He confirmed his role as president by
expressing, “I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical
days” (Roosevelt 1). Roosevelt addressed the problems of the United States beginning, “In such
a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties” (Roosevelt 2). He then called
for change claiming, “Recognition of the falsity of material wealth…” (Roosevelt 5). Roosevelt
aroused patriotism and united Americans stating, “The basic thought that guides these specific
means of national recovery is not narrowly nationalistic” (Roosevelt 9). He announced his plans
for the future sharing, “I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures
that a stricken nation in the midst of a stricken world may require” (Roosevelt 12). Roosevelt
concluded by calling on the American people to act, stating, “In their need they have registered a
press supported Roosevelt’s assertions that the corrupt practices of the moneychangers had
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caused the banking crisis. The bankers on Wall Street, as a whole, did not speak out to reject
Roosevelt’s plans. The Congress passed Roosevelt’s Emergency Banking Act only five days
after the address. Shortly after reopening the banks, the American people redeposited large
Roosevelt in which they commented favorably on the speech and wished the president well
The three predominant reactions of the American public were responses of confidence,
religion, and dictatorship. The majority of Americans believed that in his address, Roosevelt had
restored the nation’s confidence in the government. Clifford L. Maxwell of Waco, Texas wrote
to Roosevelt, “Tears came to my eyes while you delivered your inaugural address. It was
overwhelming number of Americans also regarded his mandate to lead as a divinely sanctioned
one in which Roosevelt was God’s chosen vessel to save the nation. Mrs. Peter Gaskins of Rhode
Island summarized the thoughts of many Americans when she wrote to Roosevelt, “I firmly
believe that the Almighty, in his goodness, has placed the right man in the right place at the right
time” (Johnson-Cartee). Countless Americans had so much confidence in Roosevelt that they
believed he could and should arrogate great powers for himself, even dictatorial powers. Joseph
D’Angelo of Long Island encapsulated the beliefs of these Americans when he wrote to
Roosevelt, “May I suggest, that what America needs today is a dictator, which I believe you can
be while not hurting people. We all have faith in your judgment” (Johnson-Cartee).
While the immediate response of the American public was overwhelmingly favorable
towards Roosevelt’s address, more recent critics argue that Roosevelt endangered the freedom of
successfully gained the confidence of the American people and the persuasive control of the
Congress, as well as muted the Wall Street bankers through his effective use of audience-
centered rhetoric in which he utilized ethical and emotional appeals, scapegoat techniques,
biblical allusions, war metaphors, and repetition. Therefore, this speech is important to critically
analyze to understand how a relatively unknown man transformed himself into the messiah who
saved the American people during the Great Depression, through the power of rhetoric.
executive power during their time of desperation. Perhaps one should fear this capability of
rhetoric as it could lead to the creation of an authoritarian government in the United States. But,
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