Showing results by publisher "Audio Sommelier" in Americas

Not all that glitters is gold, and gold mining was not the simple get-rich-quick scheme many thought it was. The Diary of a Forty-Niner draws readers into the day-to-day life of a prospector during the California Gold Rush. 

After voting in the 1872 presidential election, suffragette Susan B. Anthony was arrested and charged with a $100 fine. She refused to pay it, instead embarking on a speaking tour around the US to advocate for women’s legal right to vote. In this fiery speech she memorably stated, “It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens... who formed the Union.” Anthony argued that the fight for women’s right to vote was also a fight for their right to personhood in the eyes of the state, something women were finally granted nearly 50 years later.  

It may seem odd that Mark Twain delivered a 4th of July speech in London in 1907. Aside from poking fun at the American obsession with fireworks and drunken revelry, however, the brilliant Twain knew just how to tie the topic of American independence with his British audience. He recounts how the Revolutionary War was fought between Brits over a Declaration of Independence written by Brits before the United States officially formed as a nation.

Daniel Webster gave this speech in honor of George Washington on the centennial of the first US president’s birth. In it, he praises Washington’s attributes and recounts his service to America. He states that Washington is a man “whose name is intimately blended with whatever belongs most essentially to the prosperity, the liberty, and the renown of our country”. In recounting the life and work of Washington, however, Webster’s speech also serves as a reflection on the past 100 years in American history and the birth of a great nation.  

In 1807, Congress passed a law banning the import of slaves to the US. While many would break this law leading up to the Civil War, it still marked an incredible victory for abolitionists both black and white. Reverend Peter Williams delivered this speech the day the bill went into effect. In it, he gives thanks to God and all those advocating on behalf of the African American community.  

In this message, Zachary Taylor addresses the state of two newly acquired territories - namely California and New Mexico. Essentially, he acknowledges that these territories are in need of governance and that until the establishment of these territories comes about that he is sending governance to them. However, he does address the right of the state - saying that it is necessary that the rights of statehood be understood should the territories choose to be states. Finally, he remits governance of those territories to his chosen governors and reverts to their judgement as to the rule of these new territories. 

Though his presidency was short-lived, the time at which Zachary Taylor was in power was a time of great exploration for the US and Great Britain. This treaty regarded the preference of passage through territories. Specifically looking at Nicaragua and territories in the southernmost part of Mexico, the treaty asked that the British not try to annex any part of these lands. Finally, he assured Great Britain that France and Spain were on the US’ side, and that failure to pay mind to it would be a blow on their side. 

The end of his first year in office marked a momentous time for the US - it was 60 years since the establishment of the country. However, the subsequent presidents, including President Taylor, did not forget the sting of past wars. In his first annual address, Zachary Taylor meets this time of peace with a challenge, saying that he hopes to continue this legacy of peace. Perhaps due to his background as a military man, this address was mostly meant to show the nation about the civility between the US and other nations after a particularly rocky start. 

Thomas Jefferson beat out Aaron Burr in the 1800 presidential election after Alexander Hamilton cast the tie-breaking vote. Jefferson gave this address to a packed Senate chamber on March 4, 1801. He emphasized the US as a single nation working together and avoided mentioning party politics. In this way, he departed from the speeches of his two predecessors and established a new formula for inaugural addresses that was used by many presidents who came after him.    

In this speech, a young Theodore Roosevelt describes what he believes are the key principles to good citizenship. In addition to emphasizing ethical behavior, Roosevelt takes a firm stance on the necessity of engaging in politics and voting. He states unflinchingly, “The people who say that they have not time to attend to politics are simply saying that they are unfit to live in a free community.” To be “a good American citizen”, Roosevelt says one must boldly engage with the issues our nation faces today, and in doing so, shape its future.   

On December 29, 1890, the US military entered the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the intention of disarming the natives. When met with resistance, the cavalry opened fire on the Lakota in a massacre that killed several hundred men, women, and children. A few months later, some of the Lakota survivors met with the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Washington to state their side of the story. These powerful testimonies present this horrific event from the perspective of those most hurt by it. 

President Andrew Jackson bid farewell to the nation at the inauguration of Martin Van Buren, his friend and former vice president. Jackson talked of the nation’s successes in the past several years and warned against sectionalism that threatened the nation’s unity.

When prompted to give a speech at his 67th birthday party, Mark Twain was at no loss for wit. Several notable individuals proceeded him, heaping compliments upon him, so Twain began his speech by saying, “You cannot talk on compliments; that is not a text. No modest person, and I was born one, can talk on compliments.” So instead, he proceeded to give compliments back to his notable friends who were in attendance.

With this 1914 address, President Woodrow Wilson declared his intentions for the US to remain neutral in World War I. “Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality,” he said, “which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned.” This platform secured Wilson’s re-election in 1916, but it only lasted until 1917. When Germany restarted unrestricted submarine warfare against US vessels, Wilson would retract his sentiment and lead Congress to vote in favor of war.  

President Woodrow Wilson won the 1916 re-election largely because he had thus far kept the US out of World War I. Yet when Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare against US vessels in 1917, Wilson approached Congress with a change of heart. “The world must be made safe for democracy,” he said as he asked them to vote for a declaration of war. Four days later, both the House and Senate passed their formal agreement with Wilson in overwhelming numbers.  

At his 70th birthday party, Mark Twain delivered this delightful retrospective of his life. He dished out sarcastic advice on how he’d made it so far, discussing diet, sleep, cigars, alcohol, and exercise, among other topics. In the end, he said, “I am seventy; seventy, and would nestle in the chimney-corner, and smoke my pipe, and read my book, and take my rest, wishing you well in all affection.” He died three years later. 

William Penn acquired a large section of American land in a debt settlement and transformed it into a thriving colony. He wrote this tract (and others) to recruit British colonists to Pennsylvania. In it, he praises the quality of the weather, the abundance of agricultural opportunities, and their good relations with the native people. His persuasive words capture a sense of “America the beautiful” that drove thousands to seek a new life in the land of opportunity.  

President Woodrow Wilson delivered this address to the 1914 graduates of the US Naval Academy. While he congratulated them, he also said: “Do not suppose that your education is over because you have received your diplomas from the academy. Your education has just begun.” He asked them to consider themselves “sample Americans” to all they would meet as they traveled the world’s seas. He reminded them how their unique position allowed them to view their nation from an international perspective, an important reminder that rings true for all modern Americans.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal,” Elizabeth Cady Stanton said at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. One-hundred of the 300 convention attendees signed this speech that, modeled on the Constitution, served as a declaration of the women’s rights movement. Stanton did not mince words when she stated, “The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her.” 

President Woodrow Wilson entered World War I reluctantly, and he aimed to be strategic and fair when arranging peace terms to leave it. He delivered his 14-point treaty to Congress in January 1918. In it, he emphasized the importance of establishing free trade, restoring sovereign territories, and reducing arms. This speech outlined the terms on which he sought to establish enduring peace in Europe, which he recognized as vital to maintaining peace in the Americas as well as the rest of the world.