US National Archives
Our Documents: Washington's First Inaugural Speech
This site presents the full written document of President George Washington's first inaugural speech. Content includes information about the speech, images of the document itself, and a full transcript of the document.
PBS
Pbs: George Washington's First Inauguration Speech [Pdf]
A handwritten text of President George Washington's Inauguration speech from April of 1789.
University of Maryland
Voices of Democracy: John Fitzgerald Kennedy, "Inaugural Address" January 1961
John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech is one of the most famous speeches in American history. Teachers can use this instructional activity to teach Language Arts standards, as well as Social Studies standards. This lesson plan includes...
Library of Congress
Loc: Inaugural Materials Exhibition
How has the Presidential Inauguration Day changed through the years? Take a look back at eighteen presidents on the day they took the oath of office. Primary source documents capture the historical significance of this day and include...
Library of Congress
Loc: Presidential Inaugurations: Historical Insights
Features inaugural artifacts and highlights of nine presidential inaugurations starting with George Washington who established many of the ceremonial traditions that are still followed today.
Fact Monster
Fact Monster: Inaugural Oratory
Which President had the best Inaugural speech? Who had the longest speech? Find out here.
Other
American Primary Sources Challenge: Jefferson Davis' Inaugural Speech
A concise biography of Jefferson Davis' including details of his election as President of the Confederacy.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: bartleby.com: Presidential Inaugural Address: Calvin Coolidge
Bartleby provides Calvin Coolidge's inaugural speech.
World Wide School
World Wide School: James Knox Polk: Inaugural Address
This site provides a copy of James Knox Polk's inaugural address on March 4, 1845.
Other
Mt. Vernon Ladies Association: President Washington's Inauguration
Follow the schedule of George Washington on his inauguration day. For each event, a summary, pictures, or a video is included with explanations of that particular event. A transcript of his inauguration speech is provided.
CNN
Cnn: George W. Bush: The Inauguration of the 43rd President
Follow the 43rd President of the United States through his inaugural celebration. This entertaining website narrates the events of George W. Bush's inauguration as well as providing learning games, interesting historical facts, and the...
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Primary Resources: First Inaugural Address 1933
A transcription of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address delivered on March 4, 1933.
American Rhetoric
American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugural Address
This is the text of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address delivered March 4, 1865.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: American Exp:primary Resources: Second Inaugural Address 1937
President Franklin Roosevelt's second inaugural address delivered in 1937. In this speech FDR calls for the nation to accept and prepare to move forward.
American Rhetoric
American Rhetoric: Abraham Lincoln: First Inaugural Address: Draft & Final
This is the texts of Abraham Lincoln's First Inaugural Address delivered March 4, 1861, in New York, NY. It includes four PDF files: the Forward, the Original Draft, Editorial Changes, and the Final Draft.
University of Maryland
Voices of Democracy: George W. Bush, Second Inaugural Address (20 January 2005)
Complete text of the Second Inaugural Address by George W. Bush in 2005 along with an interpretive essay that examines the ways that President George W.Bush's Second Inaugural Address reflected the assumptions of the Bush Doctrine, ideas...
Fact Monster
Fact Monster: Inaugural Addresses of u.s. Presidents
From George Washington to George W. Bush, find the Inaugural Addresses of all U.S. Presidents in this complete file.
Fact Monster
Fact Monster: Famous Presidential Speeches
Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and others have their famous presidential speeches captured in this database.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: Rutherford B. Hayes: Inaugural Address
A brief sketch around the events of Hayes' election including a picture and the text of his inaugural speech.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: The Inaugural Speech: Setting the Tone (Lesson Plan)
A lesson plan that takes students through the process of reviewing key historical and political events discussed in past inaugural addresses. They then compare and contrast the language, style, and effectiveness of the inaugural...
Yale University
Yale Law School: First Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Text of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first Inaugural address. In this speech, he outlines the world crisis facing the country in 1933. He also outlines the aims of government programs and his primary goal, which was to relieve unemployment by...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Speech: Rhetoric and the Art of Persuasion
This is a complete unit on rhetoric and persuasion including key words, what to expect, handouts, lessons, self-quizzes, audio and speaking assignments, and an in-depth final assessment using JFK's Inaugural Address with a grading...
Other
Gift of Speech: "On the Pulse of Morning" by Maya Angelou
This is the poem "On The Pulse Of Morning" by Maya Angelou which was delivered on January 20, 1993, at the Inauguration of President Clinton.
Other
Abraham Lincoln Online: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
The text of Lincoln's speech on March 4, 1865. Includes commentary on the speech by famous journalists of the period. From "Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln" edited by Roy P. Basler.