Michael Jerod Smith

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Announcing the Continuation of US Neutrality

Announcing the Continuation of US Neutrality

In times of turmoil, the American people often turn to the President of the United States for clarification. One such time of turmoil came during the Spanish occupation of Cuba, when growing resentment toward the Spanish fueled pro-Cuban sentiments on...

Message Regarding the Financial Crisis

Message Regarding the Financial Crisis

One of the first things that Grover Cleveland addressed after a whole term away from office was the financial crisis that America seemed to be heading toward. In this message regarding the financial crisis, President Cleveland addressed the concerns...

On the Horrors of the Slave Trade

On the Horrors of the Slave Trade

British abolitionist William Wilberforce considered the slave trade to be a crime for which all his countrymen would have to answer. In a society that allowed for such inhumanity to persist, there were no innocent bystanders. After presenting the key...

Plymouth Oration

Plymouth Oration

American politician Daniel Webster delivered this speech in 1820 on the 200th anniversary of the landing on Plymouth Rock. In it, he honors the memory of the men and women who laid the groundwork for American civilization. He also challenges the crowd...

The Bunker Hill Monument

The Bunker Hill Monument

On June 17, 1825, Congressman Daniel Webster spoke at a ceremony honoring the new Bunker Hill Monument. Past, present, and future came together in this stirring historic speech. He first honored the sacrifice of their ancestors, then moved on to show...

The Character of Washington

The Character of Washington

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...

The Diary of a Madman

The Diary of a Madman

The public mourns when a beloved magistrate dies, a man of upstanding character who had a reputation for bringing criminals to justice. Yet when our tale’s narrator stumbles upon the man’s diary, he discovers another side to this public servant. One...

The Upturned Face

The Upturned Face

The horror of war repeats itself from one generation to the next. That’s why modern readers will empathize with the struggle of the Civil War soldiers depicted in this gritty short story by Stephen Crane, The Upturned Face. As they scramble to give...

To Build a Fire

To Build a Fire

A man treks through the frigid Yukon with his dog. When night falls, the temperature drops to negative 75°, and they struggle to keep warm. This classic tale of man vs. wild draws on classic themes of adventure, perseverance, and survival as the two...

When John Adams sent three American ambassadors to meet with the French foreign minister, they were met with opposition from three French diplomats who demanded bribes. The Americans refused, and the snub escalated into a full-fledged controversy back...