JFK Inaugural Speech

What is the primary purpose of Pres. JFK's speech?

• To encourage Americans and the rest of the world to seek peaceful ways to resolve the ongoing war

• To get Americans to elect him as president by promising an end to the war without looking like a weak country

• To assure neighboring countries that they have the full protection of the USA as long as they do not align with the enemy

• To remind Americans who have grown tired of the war that they have fought many wars in history and they came out triumphant in all of them

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom..."? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to logos. By using deductive reasoning, he is saying that this is not a "party" win but a "freedom" win.

• Appeal to ethos. By saying that it is "not a victory," he is trying to make himself sound humble to the audience.

• Appeal to pathos. By de-emphasizing his party's win, he is inviting everyone to be happy as a part of this momentous "celebration."

• Appeal to ethos. By saying that this is a "celebration of freedom," he is trying to make the audience feel happy about his win.

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"...the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage..."? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to ethos. Since his audience is the American people, he wants them to feel "proud of [their] ancient heritage."

• Appeal to ethos. Since his audience is the American people, he wants them to feel highly qualified for the "torch" that they now carry.

• Appeal to pathos. Since his audience is the American people, he wants them to desire an end to this "hard and bitter peace."

• Appeal to logos. He is presenting facts by stating that Americans are "tempered" and "disciplined."

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"...we shall pay any price...to assure the survival and the success of liberty"? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to pathos. Instead of presenting this as a fight against another country, he is making it a fight for freedom--an angle that is so much more desirable.

• Appeal to ethos. He is calling on everybody's patriotism by saying they will "pay any price," like when the US paid other countries for territories like Louisiana and Texas.

• Appeal to pathos. He is instilling fear in his audience by saying that the "price" of winning is "survival." Therefore, failure means death.

• Appeal to logos. He is using inductive reasoning to suggest that if people pay the price, whatever that may be, they will assure the survival of American liberty.

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"United, there is little we cannot do... Divided, there is little we can do..."? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to ethos. Using parallel structure, he presents two scenarios clearly--one more likely than the other.

• Appeal to ethos. Using parallel structure, he reminds the people that the country is called the "United" States.

• Appeal to logos. Using parallel structure, he is showing the impactful difference that a wise decision can make.

• Appeal to pathos. Using parallel structure, he is saying there is no hope if the audience does not listen to him.

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"...one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny..."? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to pathos. He is instilling sympathy by suggesting that other countries "merely" have "iron tyranny" while the US has something better.

• Appeal to pathos. He is instilling desire by suggesting that "iron tyranny" is far better than the "colonial control" that they used to have.

• Appeal to pathos. He is instilling fear by saying that the "iron tyranny" coming is worse than the "colonial control" from the past.

• Appeal to pathos. He is instilling amusement when he suggested that the country worked hard to fight "colonial control" only to get "iron tyranny" in the end.

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich"? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to pathos. JFK is instilling desire by making other countries want a "free society" like the United States.

• Appeal to logos. Deductive reasoning is used by saying that if United States cannot help struggling countries, then it cannot help the more developed ones.

• Appeal to logos. There is a reminder that the country is made up of both rich and poor people, and the only way the United States remains successful is by helping each other.

• Appeal to logos. Inductive reasoning is used by observing poorer countries who are struggling to help the richer ones in the midst of this war.

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course..."? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to ethos. By reminding Americans that the country is a "great and powerful" nation, he is encouraging them to believe in their present course.

• Appeal to ethos. By acknowledging the opponent as a "great and powerful" nation, he is inviting both sides to change their present course.

• Appeal to logos. He is stating a fact that there are "two great and powerful groups of nations" in this war.

• Appeal to pathos. By instilling fear, he reminds the Americans that there is another "great and powerful groups of nations" out there threatening their freedom.

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"Let both sides... bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations"? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to logos. After establishing both sides as two great countries, he offers a rational solution to give the United Nations control of their weapons.

• Appeal to logos. After establishing that there are two great countries at war, he is stating that the United States is much more equipped to destroy nations in this war.

• Appeal to logos. After establishing that there are two sides to this fight, he deduces that the only way one will win over the other is if all nations got involved.

• Appeal to pathos. He is instilling desire by making Americans want "control of all nations."

What rhetorical appeal is he using here:

"...let both sides join in creating... a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secured and the peace preserved"? Choose the response most accurate to the message of the speech.

• Appeal to pathos. He is painting a desirable future that his audience would want.

• Appeal to ethos. He is acknowledging that the audience is strong, secure and peaceful.

• Appeal to pathos. He is reminding Americans that they should watch out for "a new world of law" where the strong conquers the weak to keep the peace.

• Appeal to logos. He is rationally arguing that the strong countries should feel just and the weak countries should feel secured for peace to be preserved.