I found several lists of of the greatest speeches of the twentieth century, the most important political speeches, the most memorable speeches in the world, etc. But I really found no list like this one. The speeches that really influenced the history of the United States were not just the politicians’ speeches. They were the preachers’ sermons, and the educators’ lessons, and the journalists’ essays that were read aloud and presented in the churches and lecture halls throughout the country.
Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, preached at Enfield, Connecticut, July 8, 1741. Read by Max McLean.
George Whitefield, The Method of Grace sermon, 1738-1770, read by Max McLean.
Patrick Henry, Liberty or Death, March 23, 1775
Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, December 1776. Orson Welles reads Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis.
President Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796. (Youtube: Learn Out Loud).
Thomas Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address, 1801, Washington, D.C.
The Monroe Doctrine, President Monroe’s 1823 message to Congress.
Daniel Webster’s Second Reply to Hayne, January 26–27, 1830. Orson Welles gives an excerpt from Webster’s speech.
Andrew Jackson on Nullification, 1832.
Frederick Douglass: The Church and Prejudice, November 4, 1841, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Seneca Falls Keynote Address, July 19, 1848, Seneca Falls, New York.
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883): Ain’t I A Woman? 1851 Women’s Convention, Akron, Ohio.
Frederick Douglass, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? July 5, 1852, Rochester, NY.
Abraham Lincoln’s House Divided Speech, 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.
John Brown’s Speech to the Court at his Trial, 1859, read by Orson Welles.
Abraham Lincoln, The Emancipation Proclamation, September 22, 1962.
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863.
Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865; Washington, D.C.
William Jennings Bryan’s ‘Cross of Gold’ speech, 1869 Address to the Democratic National Convention.
Dwight L. Moody, Law and Grace sermon, 1870’s.
Susan B. Anthony, On Women’s Right to Vote, 1872.
Chief Joseph Surrender Speech, October 5th, 1877.
Booker T. Washington, The Atlanta Compromise Address, September 1895.
Theodore Roosevelt: The Man with the Muck-Rake, April 15, 1906, Washington, D.C.
Theodore Roosevelt, Citizenship in a Republic, April 23, 1910; Paris, France.
Billy Sunday, The Old-Time Religion, c. 1910.
Russell Conwell, Acres of Diamonds, 1913.
Woodrow Wilson’s War Message, April 2, 1917, Washington, D.C.
Woodrow Wilson, 14 Points speech to Congress, January 8, 1918.
R.G. Lee, Payday Someday, c. 1920.
Calvin Coolidge’s 1925 Inaugural Address.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933
Lou Gehrig, Farewell to Baseball Address, July 4, 1939; Yankee Stadium. Text and audio of the entire speech.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s War Message, December 8, 1941.
Harry S. Truman: The Truman Doctrine, March 12, 1947.
William Faulkner, Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, December 10, 1950.
Douglas MacArthur: Farewell Address, April 19, 1951.
Billy Graham, New York Crusade Sermon, How To Live The Christian Life, 1957.
John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961.
John F. Kennedy, The Decision to Go to the Moon, May 25, 1961; Rice Stadium, Houston, TX.
Malcolm X, The Ballot or the Bullet, April 3, 1964.
Paul Harvey, Freedom to Chains, 1965.
Martin Luther King, Jr., I’ve Been to the Mountaintop, April 3, 1968, Memphis, TN, the night before Reverend King was assassinated.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, A World Split Apart, June 8, 1978, Harvard University commencement.
Ronald Reagan Shuttle Challenger Disaster Address, January 28, 1986.
Ronald Reagan at the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, June 12, 1987.