For each speech, President Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” and Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address” come to terms with the lack of equality and describe the value of freedom within America. Lincoln begins his speech by commemorating those who have lost their lives during the Civil War and begins to speak about the present issues, at the time. Mentioning how the fight for equality goes beyond the battlefield and has become something greater than us. As a final tribute, he adds “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us… that these dead shall not have died in vain.” Signifying that these men died in honor and we must carry these ideas of liberty and equality in our everyday lives. Similarly to Kennedy, he conveys a strong theme of nationalism throughout his speech regarding liberty for all. As he continuously advocated that Americans would be powerful together then separated “ United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do…” Proving to the American citizens to band together as we become less vulnerable to obstacles put against us. Yet, despite these comparisons, it begins to become clear the distinctions of the beliefs of each President. In Lincoln’s speech, he praises America and its blessings that have been given to citizens as an act driven by a higher power giving credit to God for the future betterment of America, “under God, shall have a new birth of freedom… the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Further, illustrating this point by emphasizing God’s weight on the turnout of America. Whilst, Kennedy concluding his speech by stating “let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.” Mentioning that change will happen but by our actions rather than depending on a religious factor.

Although both had promised to target the unequal and unjust areas that the United States lacked in, it continues to persists. Ironically, both presidents acknowledged America’s extensive history to achieve its liberty and equality yet struggle to maintain it. Given current issues, there is still police brutality, homelessness, poverty, and discrimination/racism consequently these problems will only continue to persist if the system isn’t dismantled

The remarks of President Lincoln and Kennedy have many similarities as well as differences. A similarity between their speeches is that they both talk about liberty for all. In The Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln states, “… our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty…”. Similarly, in the Inaugural Address, President Kennedy says, ” We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom-symbolizing an end as well as a beginning-signifying renewal as well as change”. These remarks show how both President Lincoln and Kennedy see liberty and freedom as something very important for the country and its people. Another similarity is that both made remarks about how the country should remain equal. In his address, President Lincoln states, “… and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”. Similarly, President Kennedy says,”…disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. One difference that these Presidents have in their remarks is the way they should go about keeping liberty in the country. Later in his speech, President Lincoln says,”… that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom…”. On the other hand, President Kennedy says in his address, “We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty”. This shows how their speeches contrast because President Lincoln is saying that with God the country will have its freedom while President Kennedy is saying that we as a country have to fight for our freedom and make sure we never lose it. The issues both presidents wanted to tackle and conquer were to keep and give freedom to those who didn’t have it and to achieve this goal they wanted everyone to work together. Additionally, both presidents fought for the equality of all. The United States has not solved the problem of equality because recent events have shown how racism and oppression still exist to this day.

President Lincoln and President John F. Kennedy were two presidents who both faced many challenges throughout their presidencies. These two presidents I believed shared similar ideas about how the United States can come together as a nation to solve certain problems. During the time of President Lincolns Gettysburg Address, it was after the civil war and he had just freed slaves with the emancipation act. President Lincoln talks about the aftermaths of war and the toll it leaves behind. He talks about how all men are created equal. He wants the world not to forget about the war at Gettysburg, but for that war to remind us how we should not let those who fought in the battle to have died in vain. He also says that the government of the people should not perish from the earth, which I think he means to say, that the people chose this government and it does not fail in such ways that it already has. I think that statement he and President John F. Kennedy share similar ideas. John F. Kennedy in his inaugural speech also talks about the effects of war and what it does to a man. In his speech, he also mentions that we are the heirs of the first revolution. “Born in this century tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which the nation has always been permitted” I think what hes saying here is were a nation founded on war yet even as we watch our own undoing we do little to stop it. I think both he and Abraham Liconln wanted to prevent such things from happening again. They wanted a nation that is together and not divided. John F. Kennedy wanted the United States to put behind their own selfish needs, and to be able to look out for the needs of the people. To not let the poor be so separated by the rich, as one can not be without the other.  I think the United States still needs to work on these problems. We have yet to come together as a nation and put our differences aside. We allow money to the judge of all things, and the poor working class is so separated from the rich. We also are undoing what I would call a race war, where not every man is thought of to be seen as equal. it is now a movement known as the Black Lives Matter movement, where black people and people of color are fighting for equal rights still. so I think like John F. Kennedy said, we need to work on getting there, it may not happen in 100 days or 1000 but the work to get there should start now.