From Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty, or give me death" to FDR's "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," we have selected nine of our favorite speeches that have changed the world:
SEE ALSO: 'Do not fear failure': The best pieces of life advice from General George S. Patton
Napoleon Bonaparte — "Farewell to the Old Guard"
After suffering several setbacks in the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon was forced to abdicate his throne on April 6, 1814.
At the time of the abdication, he gave a speech praising his faithful soldiers and generals who had stuck by him:
Soldiers of my Old Guard: I bid you farewell. For twenty years I have constantly accompanied you on the road to honor and glory.
In these latter times, as in the days of our prosperity, you have invariably been models of courage and fidelity.
With men such as you our cause could not be lost; but the war would have been interminable; it would have been civil war, and that would have entailed deeper misfortunes on France.
I have sacrificed all of my interests to those of the country.
Source: Speeches That Changed The World
Georges Jacques Danton — “Dare, Dare Again, Always Dare”
Given during the tumult of the French Revolution, Danton urged his fellow French citizens to mobilize in order to push back the invading Prussian forces.
The speech was inspiring, but also chilling, as Danton pushed for those not supporting the war efforts to be put to death:
At such a moment this National Assembly becomes a veritable committee of war. We ask that you concur with us in directing this sublime movement of the people, by naming commissioners who will second us in these great measures.
We ask that any one refusing to give personal service or to furnish arms shall be punished with death. We ask that a set of instructions be drawn up for the citizens to direct their movements.
We ask that couriers be sent to all the departments to notify them of the decrees that you proclaim here. The tocsin we are about to ring is not an alarm signal; it sounds the charge on the enemies of our country.
To conquer them we must dare, dare again, always dare, and France is saved!
Source: Speeches That Changed The World
Giuseppe Garibaldi — Speech to his Soldiers
In the mid 19th century, Giuseppe Garibaldi led a military movement to liberate the various Italian kingdoms from Austrian rule and create a unified modern nation of Italy.
Garibaldi gave this speech in 1860 to rally his troops for further action to unify the nation:
To arms, then, all of you! all of you! And the oppressors and the mighty shall disappear like dust.
You, too, women, cast away all the cowards from your embraces; they will give you only cowards for children, and you who are the daughters of the land of beauty must bear children who are noble and brave.
Let timid doctrinaires depart from among us to carry their servility and their miserable fears elsewhere. This people is its own master.
It wishes to be the brother of other peoples, but to look on the insolent with a proud glance, not to grovel before them imploring its own freedom.
It will no longer follow in the trail of men whose hearts are foul. No! No! No!
Source: Speeches That Changed The World
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