Speech Conclusion
Speech Conclusion. We analysed the conclusion of 43 of the most important speeches ever delivered to see how the great orators did it. The results are fascinating and they'll help end any fear or worry you might have about how to end your speeches. Use them to inspire you to conclude your speeches with the same impact so that everyone who hears you speak from now on will remember your words. Now there's a call to action! Now look down the list and we'll discuss a few points at the bottom of the page.
How The Greatest Speeches In History FinishA prediction of victory.Elizabeth I A prediction of going to a life after death.Charles I A command.Oliver Cromwell A prediction of victory.George Washington A prayer.Thomas Jefferson A farewell.Napoleon A call to action.Abraham Lincoln A demand.Emmeline Pankhurst A call to action.Marie Curie A blunt restatement of the problem and the solution.Mohandis Ghandi A statement of what must happen.Lenin An irrefutable statement of what must happen.Woodrow Wilson A call to action.Clarence Darrow A call to 'inaction'.Neville Chamberlain A threat.Adolf Hitler. A prediction of victory.Adolf Hitler A call to action.Joseph Stalin A call to action.Winston Churchill A prediction of admiration by future generations.Winston Churchill An exhortation that the inevitable continueWinston Churchill A call to action mixed with an assurance of victory.Vyacheslav Molotov A prayerFranklin D Roosevelt A call to actionFranklin D Roosevelt A call to actionGeneral Charles de Gaulle A prediction of future proud memoriesGeneral George S Patton Jr A call to actionEmperor Hirohito A call to actionJawaharlal Nehru A declaration of a willingness to die for the cause.Nelson Mandela A call to actionNelson Mandela A call to actionEamon de Valera A call to actionJohn F Kennedy A statement of prideJohn F Kennedy A statement of a visionMartin Luther King A statement of how he feelsMartin Luther King A statement exposing a lieShirley Chisolm A statement of valuesRichard Nixon A statement of defianceChaim Herzog A blessingMother Theresa A statement addressing his detractorsRonald Regan A call to build on the work done so farMikhail Gorachev A call to actionF.W. de Klerk A statement of reassurance and confidenceVaclav Havel A summarizing statement addressing past, present and futureElie Wiesel
What You Can Learn From This About Speech ConclusionThere are several lessons here that deepen our understanding beyond the simplistic "finish with a call to action or a memorable statement". A Call To Action Is The Most Common Way To End A SpeechIt's used in various ways in about 40% of these speeches. A Call To Action Isn't The Only WayPredictions of victory or a better future in some way are very popular They Are All About A Better FutureEvery one of them either refers directly to, or implies,a brighter outlook for the listeners. They Are EmotiveWithout exception the speakers express some strong emotion in their endings. These range from disgust to profound love but all are aimed at engendering strong feelings in their listeners.
Finally I would suggest you continue your own research into speech conclusion by studying these and other great speeches. Really pay attention to how orators do it. That way you can draw your own conclusions!
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