LAD#33- FDR's First Inaugural Address

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address- March 3, 1933

Entering the presidency four years into the Great Depression, FDR needed to have a speech that would comfort the country and give citizens hope for the future. And he did just that in his First Inaugural Address. He started off by coining his famous phrase, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."He proceeds to ask for the nation's support as he enters the presidency, claiming that the only way that he'll be successful in leading the country is if his country believes in him. He then addresses the terrible state that the United States is in; high unemployment, high taxes, and little money. I liked his quote, "Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment." This quote shows that he doesn't want to tell them that everything is okay, because it isn't, but he is able to tell them about his ideas on how he thinks we can get out of this desperate time. He does remind people that our country has an awful lot to be thankful for because of what our forefathers fought for. FDR does a good job of looking forward towards the future and trying to encourage a distraught nation to hold on, while still acknowledging the hardships of the time. He reminds us that each individual can learn from this terrible time, as can the government.