Thanksgiving Proclamation Notes

Thanksgiving Speeches

Note: We covered some speeches today, here are my (incomplete) notes on them.

1. George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation
2. Abraham Lincoln's

What are some things George Washington does with his speech?

• This is the first Thanksgiving proclamation which was then copied by many other presidents

• Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor

  • here, George Washington is acknowledging God

• He:

  • Explains why Thanksgiving has been declared
    • Congress has declared it
    • Purpose: to express gratitude for the unity, deliverance, and freedoms for people in the United States of America
    • Reason to celebrate: The birth of a new nation
    • Humility: They are grateful that this was the case
  • Gives thanks to God for the ability to establish the United States
  • He asks others to unite and give thanks on this day as well
  • Asks for future prosperity

• Things I noticed about the rhetorical triangle:

  • Who is the audience? The general population of the United States, in 1789
  • What is the occasion? The first Thanksgiving has been set apart as a national holiday, this speech commemorates it
  • Who is the speaker? George Washington
  • What is the purpose? ...

• Although X, A and B, therefore Y.

  • Although X: Washington says there is good reason to celebrate and be boastful
  • A and B: We have been delivered by the grace of God to establish a new nation.
  • Therefore Y: we should be humble and grateful for our ability to

• Tone words:

  • reflective, reverent, earnest, celebratory, sympathetic, modest, optimistic, etc.

What about Lincoln?

• Lincoln gave a speech in 1863 (the last year of the Civil War in the United States) on Thanksgiving, primarily calling for:

  1. Unity
  2. Gratitude

• Like Washington:

  1. Calls for the unity of the American people
  2. Notes God as a method of deliverance
  3. Sense of humble unity.

• Lincoln is speaking in the middle of a civil war, which is so destructive:

  • He was not exactly popular in 1863:
    • Two years into the civil war
  • It's almost like he's coming to his own defense:
    • He References peace, prosperity, etc. even in the midst of war.