Who Gave The Cross Of Gold Speech

Who Gave the Cross of Gold Speech? Unpacking William Jennings Bryan's Iconic Address

Introduction:

The "Cross of Gold" speech. The very phrase evokes images of fiery rhetoric, a pivotal moment in American history, and a clash of economic ideologies. But who actually delivered this electrifying address that resonated so deeply with the American public and fundamentally shaped the political landscape? This comprehensive guide dives into the history of the speech, exploring its context, content, and lasting legacy, answering definitively: who gave the Cross of Gold speech, and why it remains so significant today. We'll examine the speaker's background, the political climate of the time, and the speech's impact on the Populist movement and the Democratic Party. Prepare to be transported back to a pivotal moment in American political history.


Chapter 1: The Setting – A Nation Divided

The 1896 Democratic National Convention was a crucible of intense political tension. The nation was grappling with a severe economic depression, marked by widespread unemployment and agrarian distress. The "free silver" issue – the question of whether to adopt a bimetallic monetary standard (using both gold and silver) – dominated the political debate. Farmers, particularly in the South and West, championed free silver, believing it would inflate the currency, making it easier to pay off debts. Eastern financiers, on the other hand, strongly favored the gold standard, fearing inflation would destabilize the economy. This clash of interests fueled the dramatic events at the convention.


Chapter 2: William Jennings Bryan – The Man Behind the Microphone

Before we delve into the speech itself, understanding William Jennings Bryan is crucial. A young, charismatic orator from Nebraska, Bryan was a rising star in the Democratic Party, known for his passionate advocacy for the common man. His deep religious faith infused his rhetoric, giving it a moral dimension that resonated powerfully with his audiences. He wasn't merely a politician; he was a powerful advocate for agrarian interests and a champion of the working class. His youth and energy contrasted sharply with the established political figures of the time, adding to his appeal.


Chapter 3: The Speech Itself – A Masterclass in Rhetoric

Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech wasn't a pre-written masterpiece; rather, it was a spontaneous, impassioned outpouring. Delivered on July 9, 1896, during the crucial ballot count at the Democratic National Convention, the speech's power lay not only in its content but also in its delivery. He skillfully deployed powerful imagery, employing vivid metaphors and emotionally charged language to galvanize his listeners. The iconic closing lines, "You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold," remain etched in American political history, a testament to Bryan's rhetorical mastery. The speech masterfully framed the debate not merely as an economic one but as a moral struggle between the common people and the powerful financial interests.


Chapter 4: The Aftermath – A Legacy of Influence

The "Cross of Gold" speech secured Bryan the Democratic presidential nomination. While he ultimately lost the election to William McKinley, the speech's impact was undeniable. It revitalized the Populist movement, bringing the agrarian concerns of farmers to the forefront of national politics. Furthermore, it established Bryan as a major political figure, and his subsequent presidential bids, although unsuccessful, cemented his place as a significant voice in American politics. His influence extended beyond the immediate political realm; the speech’s passionate advocacy for the common person continues to inspire progressive movements.


Chapter 5: The Enduring Relevance of the "Cross of Gold"

Even today, the "Cross of Gold" speech resonates because it touches upon fundamental themes of economic inequality and the struggle for social justice. The debate over monetary policy, although expressed in different terms, continues to be relevant in contemporary discussions of economic fairness and the distribution of wealth. The speech's enduring power lies in its emotional appeal and its ability to articulate the anxieties and aspirations of ordinary citizens facing economic hardship.


Outline of the Article:

Introduction: Hook and overview of the article.
Chapter 1: The political climate of 1896 and the free silver debate.
Chapter 2: A biography of William Jennings Bryan.
Chapter 3: Analysis of the "Cross of Gold" speech's content and delivery.
Chapter 4: The impact of the speech on the 1896 election and beyond.
Chapter 5: The lasting relevance of the speech's themes in contemporary society.
Conclusion: Summarizing the key points and emphasizing Bryan's legacy.
FAQs: Addressing common questions about the speech and its context.
Related Articles: Suggestions for further reading.



(Detailed explanation of each point in the outline is already integrated into the article above.)


FAQs:

1. What was the main issue addressed in the "Cross of Gold" speech? The primary issue was the debate over the nation's monetary standard – whether to adopt a bimetallic (gold and silver) or a gold standard.

2. Why did William Jennings Bryan support free silver? He believed it would benefit farmers and debtors by inflating the currency, making it easier to repay loans.

3. What was the outcome of the 1896 presidential election? William McKinley, the Republican nominee, won the election.

4. What is the significance of the phrase "You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold"? It is the most famous line from the speech, powerfully summarizing Bryan’s argument against the gold standard.

5. What was the role of the Populist Party in the 1896 election? The Populists largely supported Bryan, highlighting the shared concerns of farmers and laborers.

6. How did the "Cross of Gold" speech impact the Democratic Party? It temporarily shifted the party's platform towards more populist and agrarian interests.

7. What are some of the lasting effects of the "Cross of Gold" speech? It established Bryan as a major political figure and highlighted the ongoing debate over economic inequality.

8. Was the "Cross of Gold" speech completely impromptu? While not entirely scripted, it was based on Bryan’s well-developed views and rhetorical skills.

9. How does the "Cross of Gold" speech remain relevant today? Its themes of economic justice and the struggle against powerful interests continue to resonate in modern political discourse.


Related Articles:

1. The Populist Movement and the 1896 Election: An exploration of the political context surrounding Bryan's speech.
2. The Free Silver Debate: A Deeper Dive: A detailed analysis of the economic arguments for and against bimetallism.
3. William Jennings Bryan's Life and Career: A comprehensive biography of the three-time presidential candidate.
4. The Impact of the 1896 Election on American Politics: Examining the long-term consequences of McKinley's victory.
5. Rhetorical Analysis of the "Cross of Gold" Speech: A close reading of Bryan's use of language and imagery.
6. The Legacy of Populism in American Politics: Tracing the influence of populist ideas throughout American history.
7. The Gold Standard and the Great Depression: Exploring the connection between monetary policy and economic crises.
8. Comparing and Contrasting the Platforms of Bryan and McKinley: A detailed side-by-side comparison of their political positions.
9. The Role of Religion in William Jennings Bryan's Political Career: An examination of the interplay between Bryan's faith and his political activism.


  who gave the cross of gold speech: A Godly Hero Michael Kazin, 2007-03-13 ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: THE WASHINGTON POST, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, LOS ANGELES TIMES, ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Politician, evangelist, and reformer William Jennings Bryan was the most popular public speaker of his time. In this acclaimed biography—the first major reconsideration of Bryan’s life in forty years–award-winning historian Michael Kazin illuminates his astonishing career and the richly diverse and volatile landscape of religion and politics in which he rose to fame. Kazin vividly re-creates Bryan’s tremendous appeal, showing how he won a passionate following among both rural and urban Americans, who saw in him not only the practical vision of a reform politician but also the righteousness of a pastor. Bryan did more than anyone to transform the Democratic Party from a bulwark of laissez-faire to the citadel of liberalism we identify with Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1896, 1900, and 1908, Bryan was nominated for president, and though he fell short each time, his legacy–a subject of great debate after his death–remains monumental. This nuanced and brilliantly crafted portrait restores Bryan to an esteemed place in American history.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: From the Front Porch to the Front Page William D. Harpine, 2005 The last presidential campaign of the nineteenth century was remarkable in a number of ways. -It marked the beginning of the use of the news media in a modern manner. -It saw the Democratic Party shift toward the more liberal position it occupies today. -It established much of what we now consider the Republican coalition: Northeastern, conservative, pro-business. It was also notable for the rhetorical differences of its two candidates. In what is often thought of as a single-issue campaign, William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous Cross of Gold speech but lost the election. Meanwhile, William McKinley addressed a range of topics in more than three hundred speeches--without ever leaving his front porch. The campaign of 1896 gave the public one of the most dramatic and interesting battles of political oratory in American history, even though, ironically, its issues faded quickly into insignificance after the election. In From the Front Porch to the Front Page, author William D. Harpine traces the campaign month-by-month to show the development of Bryan's rhetoric and the stability of McKinley's. He contrasts the divisive oratory Bryan employed to whip up fervor (perhaps explaining the 80 percent turnout in the election) with the lower-keyed unifying strategy McKinley adopted and with McKinley's astute privileging of rhetorical siting over actual rhetoric. Beyond adding depth and detail to the scholarly understanding of the 1896 presidential campaign itself (and especially the Cross of Gold speech), this book casts light on the importance of historical perspective in understanding rhetorical efforts in politics.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Speeches of William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan, 1909
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Triumph of William McKinley Karl Rove, 2015-11-24 Why the election of 1896 still matters.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Story of Silver William L. Silber, 2021-01-12 This is the story of silver's transformation from soft money during the nineteenth century to hard asset today, and how manipulations of the white metal by American president Franklin D. Roosevelt during the 1930s and by the richest man in the world, Texas oil baron Nelson Bunker Hunt, during the 1970s altered the course of American and world history. FDR pumped up the price of silver to help jump start the U.S. economy during the Great Depression, but this move weakened China, which was then on the silver standard, and facilitated Japan's rise to power before World War II. Bunker Hunt went on a silver-buying spree during the 1970s to protect himself against inflation and triggered a financial crisis that left him bankrupt. Silver has been the preferred shelter against government defaults, political instability, and inflation for most people in the world because it is cheaper than gold. The white metal has been the place to hide when conventional investments sour, but it has also seduced sophisticated investors throughout the ages like a siren. This book explains how powerful figures, up to and including Warren Buffett, have come under silver's thrall, and how its history guides economic and political decisions in the twenty-first century--Publisher's description
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Proceedings of the National Democratic Convention Democratic National Convention, Charleston, S.C., 1860
  who gave the cross of gold speech: One Nation Under Gold: How One Precious Metal Has Dominated the American Imagination for Four Centuries James Ledbetter, 2017-06-13 One Nation Under Gold examines the countervailing forces that have long since divided America—whether gold should be a repository of hope, or a damaging delusion that has long since derailed the rational investor. Worshipped by Tea Party politicians but loathed by sane economists, gold has historically influenced American monetary policy and has exerted an often outsized influence on the national psyche for centuries. Now, acclaimed business writer James Ledbetter explores the tumultuous history and larger-than-life personalities—from George Washington to Richard Nixon—behind America’s volatile relationship to this hallowed metal and investigates what this enduring obsession reveals about the American identity. Exhaustively researched and expertly woven, One Nation Under Gold begins with the nation’s founding in the 1770s, when the new republic erupted with bitter debates over the implementation of paper currency in lieu of metal coins. Concerned that the colonies’ thirteen separate currencies would only lead to confusion and chaos, some Founding Fathers believed that a national currency would not only unify the fledgling nation but provide a perfect solution for a country that was believed to be lacking in natural silver and gold resources. Animating the Wild West economy of the nineteenth century with searing insights, Ledbetter brings to vivid life the actions of Whig president Andrew Jackson, one of gold’s most passionate advocates, whose vehement protest against a standardized national currency would precipitate the nation’s first feverish gold rush. Even after the establishment of a national paper currency, the virulent political divisions continued, reaching unprecedented heights at the Democratic National Convention in 1896, when presidential aspirant William Jennings Bryan delivered the legendary Cross of Gold speech that electrified an entire convention floor, stoking the fears of his agrarian supporters. While Bryan never amassed a wide-enough constituency to propel his cause into the White House, America’s stubborn attachment to gold persisted, wreaking so much havoc that FDR, in order to help rescue the moribund Depression economy, ordered a ban on private ownership of gold in 1933. In fact, so entrenched was the belief that gold should uphold the almighty dollar, it was not until 1973 that Richard Nixon ordered that the dollar be delinked from any relation to gold—completely overhauling international economic policy and cementing the dollar’s global significance. More intriguing is the fact that America’s exuberant fascination with gold has continued long after Nixon’s historic decree, as in the profusion of late-night television ads that appeal to goldbug speculators that proliferate even into the present. One Nation Under Gold reveals as much about American economic history as it does about the sectional divisions that continue to cleave our nation, ultimately becoming a unique history about economic irrationality and its influence on the American psyche.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Coin's Financial School William Hope Harvey, 1894
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Acres of Diamonds Russell H. Conwell, 2012-07-11 Profound yet easy to read, this self-help classic by the founder of Temple University provides practical advice on opening your mind and making the most of your circumstances to find success.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Life Story of Rasmus B. Anderson Rasmus Bjørn Anderson, 1915 Rasmus Anderson (1846-1936), the American author, scholar, editor, businessman and diplomat, intertwines his life story with the cultural and institutional history of the Norwegian-American community as a whole. There are eyewitness accounts of tension within American factions and branches of the Lutheran church over such issues as slavery and public education as well as anecdotes about Ole Bull, Knut Hamsun, Björnstjerne Björnson, Robert La Follette, James G. Blaine and various European monarchs and heads of state. Anderson began his life on a farm in Albion, Dane County, Wisconsin. After many efforts to finance and obtain the kind of education he wanted, he pioneered the study and teaching of Scandinavian languages at the University of Wisconsin (1869-1883). Between 1885 and 1889, he served as U.S. minister to Denmark. He eventually prospered as president of the Wisconsin Life Insurance Co., from 1895-1922. In 1874, Anderson attracted widespread attention with his America Not Discovered By Columbus. He is remembered for his studies, translations, and retellings of Norse mythology. The more active and public aspects of his life are emphasized in this work.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: A Righteous Cause Robert W. Cherny, 1985 Three times the Democratic Party’s nominee for president (1896, 1900, and 1908) and secretary of state under Woodrow Wilson, William Jennings Bryan voiced the concerns of many Americans left out of the post–Civil War economic growth. In A Righteous Cause: The Life of Williams Jennings Bryan, Robert W. Cherny presents Bryan’s key role in the Democratic Party’s transformation from the conservatism of Grover Cleveland to the progressivism of Woodrow Wilson. Cherny draws on Bryan’s writings and correspondence to trace his major political crusades for a new currency policy, prohibition, and women’s suffrage, and against colonialism, monopolies, America’s entry into World War I, and the teaching of evolution in the public schools. -- goodreads.com
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Last Lecture Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow, 2010 The author, a computer science professor diagnosed with terminal cancer, explores his life, the lessons that he has learned, how he has worked to achieve his childhood dreams, and the effect of his diagnosis on him and his family.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles, 2021-10-05 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER More than ONE MILLION copies sold A TODAY Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick A New York Times Notable Book, and Chosen by Oprah Daily, Time, NPR, The Washington Post, Bill Gates and Barack Obama as a Best Book of the Year “Wise and wildly entertaining . . . permeated with light, wit, youth.” —The New York Times Book Review “A classic that we will read for years to come.” —Jenna Bush Hager, Read with Jenna book club “Fantastic. Set in 1954, Towles uses the story of two brothers to show that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as we might hope.” —Bill Gates “A real joyride . . . elegantly constructed and compulsively readable.” —NPR The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden's car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction—to the City of New York. Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles's third novel will satisfy fans of his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes. “Once again, I was wowed by Towles’s writing—especially because The Lincoln Highway is so different from A Gentleman in Moscow in terms of setting, plot, and themes. Towles is not a one-trick pony. Like all the best storytellers, he has range. He takes inspiration from famous hero’s journeys, including The Iliad, The Odyssey, Hamlet, Huckleberry Finn, and Of Mice and Men. He seems to be saying that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as an interstate highway. But, he suggests, when something (or someone) tries to steer us off course, it is possible to take the wheel.” – Bill Gates
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Cross of Gold William Jennings Bryan, 1996-01-01 William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1887 as a young lawyer and rose rapidly in local Democratic Party affairs. In 1890 he was elected to the U.S. Congress in a Democratic landslide and was reelected in 1892, although he failed in a bid for the U.S. Senate in 1894. After the 1894 campaign, Bryan became editor of the Omaha World-Herald, continued his activities as a proponent of free silver, and began a successful stint as a Chautauqua lecturer, honing his already considerable oratorical skills. His reputation as a free-silver advocate was such that his delivery of the Cross of Gold speech at the 1896 Democratic Convention won him the nomination for president at the age of thirty-six. Bryan's proposal for the unlimited coinage of silver gained him support in the agrarian South and West and opposition in eastern states where banking and mercantile interests were paramount. During the 1896 campaign, Bryan traveled over eighteen thousand miles and made six hundred speeches in twenty-seven states, an unprecedented effort. Bryan lost to McKinley by ninety-five electoral votes, a result that conceals a relatively close popular vote. Although he twice more ran for president, served as Woodrow Wilson's secretary of state, and ended his career at the Scopes Monkey Trial, he will always be best remembered for his galvanic address in 1896. Robert W. Cherny is a professor of history at San Francisco State University. He is the author of A Righteous Cause: The Life of William Jennings Bryan.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Yes, I Can Say That Judy Gold, 2020-07-28 No one makes me laugh harder than Judy Gold. If I had to pick one comedian to write a book about free speech, it would be Judy. – Amy Schumer From award-winning comedian Judy Gold, a concise, funny, and thoughtful polemic on the current assault on comedy, that explores how it is undermining free speech and a fundamental attack against the integrity of the art. From Mae West and Lenny Bruce to Richard Pryor and Howard Stern to Kathy Griffith and Kevin Hart, comedians have long been under fire for using provocative, often taboo subjects to challenge mores and get a laugh. But in the age of social media, comedians are at greater risk of being silenced, enduring shaming, threats, and damaged careers because of angry, censorious electronic mobs. But while comedians’ work has often been used to rile up detractors, a new threat has emerged from the left: identity politics and notions like safetyism and trigger warnings that are now creating a cultural and political standard that runs perilously close to censorship. From college campuses to the Oscars, comics are being censured for old jokes, long-standing comedy traditions, unfinished bits and old material that instead of being forgotten, go viral. For comics like Judy Gold, today’s attacks on comics would have Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce rolling in their graves. No one has the right to tell comics what they can or cannot joke about. Do you tell artists what they can or cannot paint? she asks. Freedom of speech is fundamental for great stand-up comedy. Humor is the most palatable way to discuss a subversive or taboo topic, but it better be funny. A comic's observations are deliberately delivered to entertain, provoke, and lead to an exchange of ideas. We are truth tellers. More important, the tolerance of free speech is essential for a healthy democracy. In addition to offering readers a quick study on the history of comedy and the arts (noting such historical reference points as The Hays Code) and the threats to them, Gold takes readers on a hilarious ride with chapters such as Thank God Don Rickles is Dead, as well as her singular take on micro-aggressions, such as: Person: OMG! You’re a lesbian? I had no idea. I mean you wear make-up. When did you become a lesbian? Judy Gold: Coincidently, right after I met you! (micro-assault!) In this era of fake news, partisan politics, and heated rhetoric, the need to protect free speech has never been greater, especially for comics, who often serve as the canaries in the coalmine, monitoring the health of our democracy. Yes I Can Say That is a funny and provocative look at how safe spaces are the very antithesis of comedy as an art form—and an urgent call to arms to protect our most fundamental Constitutional right. There's a good reason it was the FIRST amendment.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases Ida B. Wells-Barnett, 2018-04-05 Reproduction of the original: Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases by Ida B. Wells-Barnett
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The World's Great Speeches Lewis Copeland, Lawrence W. Lamm, Stephen J. McKenna, 1999-09-21 Provides almost three hundred speeches delivered from ancient to modern times.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Give Me Liberty Richard Brookhiser, 2019-11-05 An award-winning historian recounts the history of American liberty through the stories of thirteen essential documents Nationalism is inevitable: It supplies feelings of belonging, identity, and recognition. It binds us to our neighbors and tells us who we are. But increasingly -- from the United States to India, from Russia to Burma -- nationalism is being invoked for unworthy ends: to disdain minorities or to support despots. As a result, nationalism has become to many a dirty word. In Give Me Liberty, award-winning historian and biographer Richard Brookhiser offers up a truer and more inspiring story of American nationalism as it has evolved over four hundred years. He examines America's history through thirteen documents that made the United States a new country in a new world: a free country. We are what we are because of them; we stay true to what we are by staying true to them. Americans have always sought liberty, asked for it, fought for it; every victory has been the fulfillment of old hopes and promises. This is our nationalism, and we should be proud of it.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King, 2025-01-14 A beautiful commemorative edition of Dr. Martin Luther King's essay Letter from Birmingham Jail, part of Dr. King's archives published exclusively by HarperCollins. With an afterword by Reginald Dwayne Betts On April 16, 1923, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., responded to an open letter written and published by eight white clergyman admonishing the civil rights demonstrations happening in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. King drafted his seminal response on scraps of paper smuggled into jail. King criticizes his detractors for caring more about order than justice, defends nonviolent protests, and argues for the moral responsibility to obey just laws while disobeying unjust ones. Letter from Birmingham Jail proclaims a message - confronting any injustice is an acceptable and righteous reason for civil disobedience. This beautifully designed edition presents Dr. King's speech in its entirety, paying tribute to this extraordinary leader and his immeasurable contribution, and inspiring a new generation of activists dedicated to carrying on the fight for justice and equality.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The First 20 Hours Josh Kaufman, 2013-06-13 Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less? Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare? Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of prac­ticing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . . In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct com­plex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By complet­ing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well. Kaufman personally field-tested the meth­ods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard key­board, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the sim­ple techniques he teaches: Define your target performance level: Fig­ure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better. Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcompo­nents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first. Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice. Create fast feedback loops: Getting accu­rate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve. Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chain­saws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Break It Up Richard Kreitner, 2024-11-12 From journalist and historian Richard Kreitner, a powerful revisionist accountof the most persistent idea in American history: these supposedly United States should be broken up (Eric Foner). The novel and fiery thesis of Break It Up is simple: The United States has never lived up to its name--and never will. The disunionist impulse may have found its greatest expression in the Civil War, but as Break It Up shows, the seduction of secession wasn't limited to the South or the nineteenth century. It was there at our founding and has never gone away. With a scholar's command and a journalist's curiosity, Richard Kreitner takes readers on a revolutionary journey through American history, revealing the power and persistence of disunion movements in every era and region. Each New England town after Plymouth was a secession from another; the thirteen colonies viewed their Union as a means to the end of securing independence, not an end in itself; George Washington feared separatism west of the Alleghenies; Aaron Burr schemed to set up a new empire; John Quincy Adams brought a Massachusetts town's petition for dissolving the United States to the floor of Congress; and abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison denounced the Constitution as a pro-slavery pact with the devil. From the cold civil war that pits partisans against one another to the modern secession movements in California and Texas, the divisions that threaten to tear America apart today have centuries-old roots in the earliest days of our Republic. Richly researched and persuasively argued, Break It Up will help readers make fresh sense of our fractured age.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (A New Verse Translation) , 2008-11-17 One of the earliest great stories of English literature after ?Beowulf?, ?Sir Gawain? is the strange tale of a green knight on a green horse, who rudely interrupts King Arthur's Round Table festivities one Yuletide, challenging the knights to a wager. Simon Armitrage, one of Britain's leading poets, has produced an inventive and groundbreaking translation that helps] liberate ?Gawain ?from academia (?Sunday Telegraph?).
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Great Agnostic Susan Jacoby, 2013-01-08 A biography that restores America's foremost 19th-century champion of reason and secularism to the still contested 21st-century public square.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Benjamin Franklin, Politician Francis Jennings, 1996 With this in mind, Francis Jennings sets forth some new ideas about Franklin as the first American. In so doing, he provides a new view of the beginnings of the American Revolution in Franklin's struggle against Thomas Penn. By striving against Penn's feudal lordship (and therefore against King George) Franklin became master of the Pennsylvania assembly.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Hill We Climb Amanda Gorman, 2021-03-30 The instant #1 New York Times bestseller and #1 USA Today bestseller Amanda Gorman’s electrifying and historic poem “The Hill We Climb,” read at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, is now available as a collectible gift edition. “Stunning.” —CNN “Dynamic.” —NPR “Deeply rousing and uplifting.” —Vogue On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. Taking the stage after the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, Gorman captivated the nation and brought hope to viewers around the globe with her call for unity and healing. Her poem “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” can now be cherished in this special gift edition, perfect for any reader looking for some inspiration. Including an enduring foreword by Oprah Winfrey, this remarkable keepsake celebrates the promise of America and affirms the power of poetry.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien, 2009-10-13 A classic work of American literature that has not stopped changing minds and lives since it burst onto the literary scene, The Things They Carried is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling. The Things They Carried depicts the men of Alpha Company: Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and the character Tim O’Brien, who has survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer at the age of forty-three. Taught everywhere—from high school classrooms to graduate seminars in creative writing—it has become required reading for any American and continues to challenge readers in their perceptions of fact and fiction, war and peace, courage and fear and longing. The Things They Carried won France's prestigious Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize; it was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Journey to the West (2018 Edition - PDF) Wu Cheng'en, 2018-08-14 The bestselling Journey to the West comic book by artist Chang Boon Kiat is now back in a brand new fully coloured edition. Journey to the West is one of the greatest classics in Chinese literature. It tells the epic tale of the monk Xuanzang who journeys to the West in search of the Buddhist sutras with his disciples, Sun Wukong, Sandy and Pigsy. Along the way, Xuanzang's life was threatened by the diabolical White Bone Spirit, the menacing Red Child and his fearsome parents and, a host of evil spirits who sought to devour Xuanzang's flesh to attain immortality. Bear witness to the formidable Sun Wukong's (Monkey God) prowess as he takes them on, using his Fiery Eyes, Golden Cudgel, Somersault Cloud, and quick wits! Be prepared for a galloping read that will leave you breathless!
  who gave the cross of gold speech: These Truths: A History of the United States Jill Lepore, 2018-09-18 “Nothing short of a masterpiece.” —NPR Books A New York Times Bestseller and a Washington Post Notable Book of the Year In the most ambitious one-volume American history in decades, award-winning historian Jill Lepore offers a magisterial account of the origins and rise of a divided nation. Widely hailed for its “sweeping, sobering account of the American past” (New York Times Book Review), Jill Lepore’s one-volume history of America places truth itself—a devotion to facts, proof, and evidence—at the center of the nation’s history. The American experiment rests on three ideas—“these truths,” Jefferson called them—political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. But has the nation, and democracy itself, delivered on that promise? These Truths tells this uniquely American story, beginning in 1492, asking whether the course of events over more than five centuries has proven the nation’s truths, or belied them. To answer that question, Lepore wrestles with the state of American politics, the legacy of slavery, the persistence of inequality, and the nature of technological change. “A nation born in contradiction… will fight, forever, over the meaning of its history,” Lepore writes, but engaging in that struggle by studying the past is part of the work of citizenship. With These Truths, Lepore has produced a book that will shape our view of American history for decades to come.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1875
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Old World and Its Ways William Jennings Bryan, 2019-09-25 Reproduction of the original: The Old World and Its Ways by William Jennings Bryan
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Andrew Carnegie Speaks to the 1% Andrew Carnegie, 2016-04-14 Before the 99% occupied Wall Street... Before the concept of social justice had impinged on the social conscience... Before the social safety net had even been conceived... By the turn of the 20th Century, the era of the robber barons, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) had already accumulated a staggeringly large fortune; he was one of the wealthiest people on the globe. He guaranteed his position as one of the wealthiest men ever when he sold his steel business to create the United States Steel Corporation. Following that sale, he spent his last 18 years, he gave away nearly 90% of his fortune to charities, foundations, and universities. His charitable efforts actually started far earlier. At the age of 33, he wrote a memo to himself, noting ...The amassing of wealth is one of the worse species of idolatry. No idol more debasing than the worship of money. In 1881, he gave a library to his hometown of Dunfermline, Scotland. In 1889, he spelled out his belief that the rich should use their wealth to help enrich society, in an article called The Gospel of Wealth this book. Carnegie writes that the best way of dealing with wealth inequality is for the wealthy to redistribute their surplus means in a responsible and thoughtful manner, arguing that surplus wealth produces the greatest net benefit to society when it is administered carefully by the wealthy. He also argues against extravagance, irresponsible spending, or self-indulgence, instead promoting the administration of capital during one's lifetime toward the cause of reducing the stratification between the rich and poor. Though written more than a century ago, Carnegie's words still ring true today, urging a better, more equitable world through greater social consciousness.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare, 1917
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Antiquities of the Jews ; Book - XVIII Flavius Josephus, 2021-12-16 The book, Antiquities of the Jews; Book - XVIII , has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies and hence the text is clear and readable.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: The Nobel Lecture Bob Dylan, 2017-11-30 On October 13, 2016, it was announced that Bob Dylan had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, recognizing his countless contributions to music and letters over the last fifty years. Some months later, he delivered a lecture that will now be available in book form for generations to come. In it, he reflects on his life and experience with literature, giving readers a rare and intimate look at an American icon. From being inspired by Buddy Holly to the novels that helped shape his own approach to writing (The Odyssey, Moby Dick, and All Quiet on the Western Front), this is Dylan like you've never seen him before.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: A Nation of Immigrants John F. Kennedy, 2018-10-16 “In this timeless book, President Kennedy shows how the United States has always been enriched by the steady flow of men, women, and families to our shores. It is a reminder that America’s best leaders have embraced, not feared, the diversity which makes America great.” —Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright Throughout his presidency, John F. Kennedy was passionate about the issue of immigration reform. He believed that America is a nation of people who value both tradition and the exploration of new frontiers, deserving the freedom to build better lives for themselves in their adopted homeland. This 60th anniversary edition of his posthumously published, timeless work—with a foreword by Jonathan Greenblatt, the National Director and CEO of the ADL, formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League, and an introduction from Congressman Joe Kennedy III—offers President Kennedy’s inspiring words and observations on the diversity of America’s origins and the influence of immigrants on the foundation of the United States. The debate on immigration persists. Complete with updated resources on current policy, this new edition of A Nation of Immigrants emphasizes the importance of the collective thought and contributions to the prominence and success of the country.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: A Time for Choosing Ronald Reagan, 1983
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Oedipus the King Sophocles, 2015-08-09 This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Language Edward Sapir, 1921 Professor Sapir analyzes, for student and common reader, the elements of language. Among these are the units of language, grammatical concepts and their origins, how languages differ and resemble each other, and the history of the growth of representative languages--Cover.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering Pope John Paul II, 2014-01-01 Published on February 11, 1984, Salvifici Doloris addresses the question of why God allows suffering. This 30th anniversary edition includes the complete text of the letter plus commentary by Myles N. Sheehan, SJ, MD, a priest and physician trained in geriatrics with an expertise in palliative care. Acknowledgments of recent episodes of violence bring the papal document into a modern context. Insightful questions suited for individual or group use, applicable prayers, and ideas for meaningful action invite readers to personally respond to the mystery of suffering.
  who gave the cross of gold speech: Populism and the Election of 1896 , 1994 History and civics students will learn more about the workingsof our political system and democracy with this Jackdaw.They ll see how in response to industrialization and economicpressures, farmers of the 1890s formed the Populist Party anddirected their political activities against big business and politicalcorruption. The broadsheets and primary-source documentshelp students understand what it was like to live in the 1890sand demonstrate how the American political process allowsfor peaceful expression of contrary views. 5 broadsheets, 11 historical documents, reproducible student activites.