Essay 1: 400 Or 700 Words On July 27, 1936, President Frankl

Essay 1 400 700 Wordson July 27 1936 President Franklin Roosevelt

Essay 1: 400 – 700 words On July 27, 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt accepted his re-nomination as the Democratic Party’s presidential choice. He would go on to win re-election that year, again in 1940, and again in 1944, dying in office in April of 1945 just as the war in Europe ended. Below is an excerpt from his 1936 acceptance speech. Using the material provided in this class and your ability to analyze primary sources, please explain the context for the speech. When Roosevelt spoke of a “rendezvous with destiny,” what did he mean?

To successfully answer this question, you need to address three other queries related to the text and the material. What framework would the audience have from previous events? What values is he asking the audience to embrace? What events of the next decade is FDR foreshadowing?

That very word freedom, in itself and of necessity, suggests freedom from some restraining power ... man’s inventive genius released new forces in our land which reordered the lives of our people.

The age of machinery, of railroads; of steam and electricity; the telegraph and the radio; mass production, mass distribution—all of these combined to bring forward a new civilization and with it a new problem for those who sought to remain free. For out of this modern civilization economic royalists carved new dynasties. New kingdoms were built upon concentration of control over material things. Through new uses of corporations, banks and securities, new machinery of industry and agriculture, of labor and capital—all undreamed of by the fathers—the whole structure of modern life was impressed into this royal service. There was no place among this royalty for our many thousands of small businessmen and merchants who sought to make a worthy use of the American system of initiative and profit.

They were no more free than the worker or the farmer. Even honest and progressive-minded men of wealth, aware of their obligation to their generation, could never know just where they fitted into this dynastic scheme of things. For too many of us, the political equality we once had won was meaningless in the face of economic inequality. A small group had concentrated into their own hands an almost complete control over other people’s property, other people’s money, other people’s labor—other people’s lives. For too many of us, life was no longer free; liberty no longer real; men could no longer follow the pursuit of happiness.

Today we stand committed to the proposition that freedom is no half-and-half affair. If the average citizen is guaranteed equal opportunity in the polling place, he must have equal opportunity in the marketplace. Governments can err, Presidents do make mistakes, but the immortal Dante tells us that divine justice weighs the sins of the cold-blooded and the sins of the warm-hearted in different scales. Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference. There is a mysterious cycle in human events.

To some generations, much is given. Of other generations, much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny. In this world of ours, in other lands, there are some people, who, in times past, have lived and fought for freedom, and seem to have grown too weary to carry on the fight. They have sold their heritage of freedom for the illusion of a living.

They have yielded their democracy. I believe in my heart that only our success can stir their ancient hope. They begin to know that here in America we are waging a great and successful war. It is not alone a war against want and destitution and economic demoralization. It is more than that; it is a war for the survival of democracy.

We are fighting to save a great and precious form of government for ourselves and for the world.

Paper For Above instruction

Franklin D. Roosevelt's acceptance speech on July 27, 1936, is a powerful and consequential articulation of the political climate and national ethos during a tumultuous period in American history. The speech occurred against the backdrop of the Great Depression, a time when economic hardship, widespread unemployment, and social unrest challenged the very foundations of American democracy. Roosevelt’s rhetoric, especially his reference to a “rendezvous with destiny,” encapsulates a call to action for Americans to embrace their role in shaping the future of their nation and the democratic ideals they cherish.

The context of this speech is deeply rooted in the economic and social crises of the 1930s. Following the stock market Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression, Americans experienced unprecedented levels of poverty and despair. The government’s response under President Herbert Hoover was widely viewed as insufficient and disconnected from the needs of ordinary citizens. Roosevelt, as the Democratic nominee, offered a stark contrast by advocating for active government intervention, social reform, and economic reforms designed to restore opportunity and liberty. His New Deal policies aimed to combat economic inequality and provide relief and recovery, positioning him as a leader committed to safeguarding democracy's principles amid crisis.

When Roosevelt spoke of a “rendezvous with destiny,” he was emphasizing the idea that Americans had an inevitable and collective responsibility to confront their challenges and forge a better future. He believed that their actions in this pivotal moment would determine the fate of American democracy and the broader world. His invocation of destiny reflected a sense of historical mission—that the United States was at a crossroads and that this era’s choices would resonate through generations to come. Roosevelt was urging Americans to see themselves as part of a larger historical narrative that required courage, sacrifice, and unity to preserve their freedoms and uphold democratic values.

Understanding the audience's framework involves recognizing their prior experiences—particularly the economic hardships of the Great Depression, loss of faith in laissez-faire policies, and the desire for stability and hope. Many Americans felt disillusioned with the economic system that had failed them, and they looked to Roosevelt’s leadership for solutions that integrated government action with the promise of restoring prosperity and equality. The values Roosevelt appealed to include justice, fairness, and the American ideals of liberty and opportunity. He implicitly called for unity, responsibility, and moral courage in facing both economic and political threats.

Roosevelt also foreshadows the coming decade’s major events—most notably, the national and global struggles against totalitarian regimes, including Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and militarist Japan. His mention of democracy’s survival signals the importance of resisting authoritarianism and defending human rights. Internally, he hints at the need for societal reforms to prevent the concentration of economic and political power that threatened individual freedoms. Internationally, Roosevelt’s emphasis on fighting for democracy parallels the future Allied efforts during World War II, including confronting authoritarian regimes and promoting global peace and stability.

Furthermore, Roosevelt's reference to the global struggle for freedom and democracy underscores his recognition of the interconnectedness of national and international destinies. The rise of fascism and communism posed existential threats to the ideals of liberty and self-governance. His appeal to American citizens to embrace their “rendezvous with destiny” was as much a call to uphold their domestic ideals as it was a mandate to participate actively in shaping the future geopolitical landscape. This foresight foreshadows the United States’ leadership role in World War II and the subsequent creation of institutions like the United Nations that aimed to maintain peace and promote human rights.

In conclusion, Roosevelt’s 1936 speech was a rallying cry rooted in the national crisis of his time, emphasizing the importance of collective action and moral responsibility. His reference to a “rendezvous with destiny” signaled a pivotal moment for the United States, one that required renewed commitment to democracy, economic justice, and international leadership. The speech not only addressed the immediate challenges of the Great Depression but also set the tone for the country’s role in confronting global threats in the subsequent decade, shaping the course of history and the enduring principles of liberty and justice.

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