Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” said Franklin Roosevelt, the thirty-second President of the United States. United, in one of the most powerful political speeches ever delivered. by an American president. President Roosevelt assumed the presidency during the darkest times in American history. He addressed the nation at a time of uncertainty and great fear. American citizens were unsure about the economic situation of the United States as it was in the middle of the Great Depression. The Great Depression was the result of the stock market crash of 1929, also known as Black Tuesday. After the crash, profits fell, prices fell, and revenues fell. Unemployment has reached 25 percent in the United States. The nation was hungry for physical and emotional sustenance and Roosevelt's speech came at just the right time to satisfy and ease the minds of many Americans. Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural address to the masses who needed reassurance. In his inaugural speech, Roosevelt acknowledged the government's faults and highlighted the confidence he had in himself to get the country back on track. He aimed to declare war on the Great Depression and needed all the executive latitude possible to wage that war. By mentioning that we should not be afraid of fear, Roosevelt inspired a nation going through a time of great economic and emotional hardship. In his speech, Roosevelt hopes to give Americans the courage to work to get the country back on track and earn their trust as a newly elected leader. With his inaugural speech, Franklin Roosevelt tried to appease the world...... middle of paper ......he Roosevelt speech attracted everyone's attention and was able to impose his influence from the very beginning. By using metaphors and connecting to Jesus and as a leader of a greater cause, there was a much greater religious connection. Roosevelt truly showed that there are more important things in life than merely materialistic things, and that family and life's purpose are far more valuable. issues-des-tests-standardisés/ http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/on_performance/2011/07/why_we_still_need_standardized_testing_post-scandal.html http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2012/05/02 /poor-students-are-the-real-victims-of-university-discrimination/ http://ideas.time.com/2012/10/11/why-its-time-to-get-rid- of-standardized-tests/ http://www.american.com/archive/2007/july-august-magazine-contents/abolish-the-sat