Even the rocks, which seem to be dumb and dead as they swelter in the sun along the silent shore, thrill with memories of stirring events connected with the lives of my people, and the very dust upon which you now stand responds more lovingly to their footsteps than yours, because it is rich with the blood of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch.” Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some sad or happy event in days long vanished. Every part of this soil is sacred in the estimation of my people. Sample lines: “I here and now make this condition that we will not be denied the privilege without molestation of visiting at any time the tombs of our ancestors, friends, and children. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts-for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.” Chief Seattle’s 1854 Oration

It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. Sample lines: “There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Woodrow Wilson’s War Message to Congress, 1917 It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. Sample lines: “And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. Here are some of history’s most well-known persuasive writing examples in the form of speeches. Many persuasive speeches are political in nature, often addressing subjects like human rights. (Need persuasive essay topics? Check out our list of 60 interesting ideas here!)

Use them to inspire your students to write their own essays.

This round-up of persuasive writing examples includes famous speeches, influential ad campaigns, contemporary reviews of famous books, and more. Teaching students to write strong persuasive essays should always start with reading some top-notch models. The more we read, the better writers we become.

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