John F. Kennedy Speech in Regards to the Cuban Missile Crisis - Essay Example

The document begins with a very brief timeline of events that lead up to the evening in question when Kennedy decided to address the American people about his plans to deal with the crisis at hand. The two biggest players during this period in time were Kennedy and Russian President Nikita Khrushchev. The source was created as a way to give the reader an idea f the events that lead up to the speech, while also including the text of the exact speech which Kennedy gave that night. After observing the main page, the primary source was created as part of a greater source collection on July 4, 1996.

After selecting the feature to learn more about the website, the reader is able to read that The History Place is in fact from the Boston area and most importantly, not a part of any political affiliation. It was created by Philip Gavin who attended both Northeastern University and Boston University. Important to note, unless otherwise mentioned, the website reports that the articles that do not make specific notation of another author, are in fact written by Gavin himself. The intended audience of the user would be anyone that wishes to know more about the history of the United States and taking into consideration a few of the other sources located on the site, the history of the rest of the world as well.

Primary benefit from this site would undoubtedly be felt by those who are students. In looking at the information and the way in which it is arranged, it appears that the primary goal of the site creator(s) was to be first and foremost factual in the nature that the information is shown, judging by the numerous instances that speeches are included, so that the readers are able to fully grasp the material which they are reading. With the fact that the website claims to have no political connections, thus claiming a sense of political neutrality, it would have to be assumed that the presentation was made with the utmost concern for no sort of bias as it came to the material which was included.

As for whether or not the document contains words which could have changed meaning over time, it would be quite doubtful that the words expressed in the 1962 speech by Kennedy would have changed meaning in the last 46 years. Other speeches provided on The History Place, in dating back to the 1500s, would most definitely have word usage that, in looking at today's modern society, would have changed meaning over time. While the dialect which President Kennedy spoke in was New England and as such does alter the manner in which words sound as they are spoken, despite this nothing which he would have said would differ in meaning now.

The document has an incredible value for both teaching, as well as learning. In an era of study of times of possible serious conflict faced by world leaders, the Cuban Missile Crisis was the definitive example of a major world power on the brink of possible war with another country. The historical questions it raises about the past center on the decisions of those in power and how it can lead a country to a state of peace, or a state of war. Historians and students both can engage with the speech to find a better understanding of what one leader faced as he set out to save his people and the rest