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 argument of “On the Horrors of the Slave Trade,” he stated, “the nature and all the circumstances of this trade are now laid open to us; we can no longer plead ignorance.” This strong sense of moral responsibility has the power to inspire Chri...

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 domestic soil. Opting to take a more neutral standpoint, President Cleveland said that Americans were to remain neutral during this time of crisis in his historic address. Refusing to aid the Cuban resurgents in any way, he instead focused on...

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 Am...

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 in the US. There were talks of war, and Congress demanded to see the diplomats’ report. Adams handed it over, but not before inserting letters X, Y, and Z in place of the names of the Frenchmen involved in the scandal.

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 of the nation, but focusedespecially on the American people. He addresses that the looming depression would impact every person in the country, and that he was going to find a way to turn the country around. Throwing around many ideas, ...

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 entry reads: “It must be a pleasure, unique and full of zest, to kill.” Find out why Guy de Maupassant is considered a master of the short story when you dive into this haunting tale of man’s hidden wickedness.

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 to consider how current political issues, such as slavery, will affect their legacy two-hundred years in the future. “Let [slavery] cease to be of New England,” he urges them in this historic speech, “and let civilized man henceforth have no ...

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 gratitude to their current veterans, including the forty survivors of the Battle of Bunker Hill who were present at the ceremony. Lastly, he gave an optimistic prediction for the future of democracy in America, saying, “The principle of free g...

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 their comrade a proper burial while the war rages on around them, their feelings of confusion and inadequacy could not be clearer. The story paints a stark and enduring contrast between war’s tender sadness and it’s relentless brutality...

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 try to make it through the night. First published in 1908, it became one of the most anthologized short stories of the twentieth century.