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Published on: July 3rd, 2020

15 Great Speeches to Remind America what Independence Day is About

This year we will celebrate the 244 th anniversary of American independence. This day does not only represent the creation of a new nation, but the creation of a new civilization, one founded on the principles of freedom, self-government, and equality. Here are 15 speeches to inspire new vigor for our founding principles. Looking at who and what we were will help us remember who and what we ought to be.

1. Patrick Henry, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” 1775

Patrick Henry gave this speech in 1775 at the Virginia Convention. It took place only a few months after the assembly of the first Continental Congress had sent King George III a petition for the redress of grievances. Boston Harbor was also blockaded by the British in retaliation for the Boston Tea Party. Tensions were high, revolution seemed inevitable, but still many political leaders in Virginia held out hope that the relationship with Great Britain could be restored. Patrick Henry sought to dispel them of that notion.

Patrick Henry was a lawyer and had a reputation as one of the greatest opponents of British taxation. In this speech he argues passionately for independence. He made his case clear in the opening of his speech stating, “For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery…” He chides the assembly for indulging in “illusions of hope” for passively waiting “to be betrayed with a kiss” and for falling prey to the siren songs of the British.

He reminds the assembly of the lengths the colonists have gone to in order to plead their case to the British, “We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament.” He then states how the British have received such outreach, “Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.”

Next is Henry’s powerful call to action, a call that would galvanize the colonies into declaring independence from Great Britain:

In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us! … Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave… There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Read Patrick’s entire speech . Watch Patrick’s speech on YouTube .

2. Samuel Adams, “On American Independence” 1776

Samuel Adams was a delegate to the First Continental Congress in 1774, was a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, helped get the Constitution ratified in the Massachusetts Convention, and became Governor of Massachusetts in 1794.

In this speech Adams recognizes that this was not simply a battle that would determine the fate of two nations, but the fate of the world at large. He declared, “Courage, then, my countrymen; our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.”

Adams notes the ability of men to “deliberately and voluntarily” form for themselves a political society. He cites John Hampden, John Locke, and Algernon Sidney whose ideas and actions paved the way for such a feat. Of this new founding he states:

Other nations have received their laws from conquerors; some are indebted for a constitution to the suffering of their ancestors through revolving centuries. The people of this country, alone, have formally and deliberately chosen a government for themselves, and with open and uninfluenced consent bound themselves into a social compact. Here no man proclaims his birth or wealth as a title to honorable distinction, or to sanctify ignorance and vice with the name of hereditary authority. He who has most zeal and ability to promote public felicity, let him be the servant of the public. This is the only line of distinction drawn by nature. Leave the bird of night to the obscurity for which nature intended him, and expect only from the eagle to brush the clouds with his wings and look boldly in the face of the sun.

He like Patrick Henry then gives a call to action:

We have no other alternative than independence, or the most ignominious and galling servitude. The legions of our enemies thicken on our plains; desolation and death mark their bloody career, while the mangled corpses of our countrymen seem to cry out to us as a voice from heaven.

Lastly, Adams ends his address declaring the people of America the guardians of their own liberty. Then with an ode to the ancient Roman republic he ends stating, “Nothing that we propose can pass into a law without your consent. Be yourselves, O Americans, the authors of those laws on which your happiness depends.”

You can read Samuel Adams' full speech .

3. John Quincy Adams, “An Address Celebrating the Declaration of Independence” 1821

Adams begins the speech recounting the first settlers of the Plymouth colony and how they entered into a written covenant with one another on the eve of their landing. Of this event he states,

Thus was a social compact formed upon the elementary principles of civil society, in which conquest and servitude had no part. The slough of brutal force was entirely cast off; all was voluntary; all was unbiased consent; all was the agreement of soul with soul.

Adams continues to trace America’s historical and political development throughout the speech. He recalls how the British mistreated the colonists from the beginning, citing how Britain went against its own ideas and principles in denying the colonists representation and consent. He states, “For the independence of North America, there were ample and sufficient causes in the laws of moral and physical nature.”

Adams’ ode to the Declaration of Independence is most worth reading:

It was the first solemn declaration by a nation of the only legitimate foundation of civil government. It was the corner stone of a new fabric, destined to cover the surface of the globe. It demolished at a stroke the lawfulness of all governments founded upon conquest. It swept away all the rubbish of accumulated centuries of servitude. It announced in practical form to the world the transcendent truth of the unalienable sovereignty of the people. It proved that the social compact was no figment of the imagination; but a real, solid, and sacred bond of the social union. From the day of this declaration, the people of North America were no longer the fragment of a distant empire, imploring justice and mercy from an inexorable master in another hemisphere. They were no longer children appealing in vain to the sympathies of a heartless mother; no longer subjects leaning upon the shattered columns of royal promises, and invoking the faith of parchment to secure their rights. They were a nation, asserting as of right, and maintaining by war, its own existence. A nation was born in a day. […] [T]hat a new civilization had come, a new spirit had arisen on this side of the Atlantic more advanced and more developed in its regard for the rights of the individual than that which characterized the Old World. Life in a new and open country had aspirations which could not be realized in any subordinate position. A separate establishment was ultimately inevitable. It had been decreed by the very laws of human nature. Man everywhere has an unconquerable desire to be the master of his own destiny.

Adams goes on to pronounce that the Declaration was more than the “mere secession of territory” and the “establishment of a nation.” No, these things have occurred before, but the Declaration of Independence not only liberated America but ennobled all of humanity, he stated. 

You can read John Quincy Adams' entire speech here .

  4. Daniel Webster “Speech at the laying of the cornerstone of the capitol,” July 4, 1851.

Daniel Webster was one of the most prominent lawyers in the 19 th century, arguing over 200 cases before the Supreme Court. He also represented New Hampshire and Massachusetts in Congress and was Secretary of State under three presidents. Webster is also known for his speech in Congress, called the Second Reply to Hayne, which derided the theory of nullification espoused by John C. Calhoun.

Webster’s speech on the occasion of laying the Capital building’s cornerstone had a patriotic tone, He begins with the celebratory declaration, “This is America! This is Washington! And this the Capitol of the United States!”

Of the Founding generation Webster stated,

The Muse inspiring our Fathers was the Genius of Liberty, all on fire with a sense of oppression, and a resolution to throw it off; the whole world was the stage and higher characters than princes trod it… how well the characters were cast, and how well each acted his part…

He went on to speak about the tremendous sacrifice the men who signed the Declaration paid. “It was sealed in blood,” he stated. Of the liberty that the Founding generation bestowed upon successive generations Webster said,

Every man’s heart swells within him; every man’s port and bearing becomes somewhat more proud and lofty, as he remembers that seventy-five years have rolled away, and that the great inheritance of liberty is still his; his undiminished and unimpaired; his in all its original glory’ his to enjoy’ his to protect; and his to transmit to future generations.

Finally, Webster made clear that American liberty is unique among nations,

I have said, gentlemen, that our inheritance is an inheritance of American liberty. That liberty is characteristic, peculiar, and altogether our own. Nothing like it existed in former times, nor was known in the most enlightened States of antiquity; while with us its principles have become interwoven into the minds of individual men… […] And, finally another most important part of the great fabric of American liberty is, that there shall be written constitutions, founded on the immediate authority of the people themselves, and regulating and restraining all the powers conferred upon Government, whether legislative, executive, or judicial.

You can read Daniel Webster's entire speech here .

5. Frederick Douglass, “What to the slave is the 4 th of July?”  July 5, 1852

He spoke about the Founding Fathers as men of courage who “preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage.” Of the “fathers of this republic” he said, “They were statesmen, patriots and heroes, and for the good they did, and the principles they contended for, I will unite with you to honor their memory.”

Drawing a contrast between the Founders and the men of his generation advocating the positive good of slavery Douglass stated,

They believed in order; but not in the order of tyranny. With them, nothing was “settled” that was not right. With them, justice, liberty and humanity were “final;” not slavery and oppression. You may well cherish the memory of such men. They were great in their day and generation. Their solid manhood stands out the more as we contrast it with these degenerate times.

Douglass encouraged Americans to celebrate the Declaration as the ring-bolt to the chains of the United Sates’ destiny. “The principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. Stand by those principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatever cost,” he stated.

Douglass then rightly points out that America was not living up to its own ideals as laid out in the Declaration when it came to the millions of black men and women still enslaved. He stated,

Fellow-citizens, pardon me, allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here to-day? What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? and am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?

Of Slavery’s effects on the American union he declared, “It fetters your progress; it is the enemy of improvement, the deadly foe of education; it fosters pride; it breeds insolence; it promotes vice; it shelters crime; it is a curse to the earth that supports it…”

He goes on to explain that this anniversary does not yet include black men and women. He stated, “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me.” Yet Douglass was optimistic that this would soon change. He called the Constitution a “GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT.” He exhorted the assembly to consider the Constitution’s preamble and ask themselves if slavery was listed as one of its purposes.

He finished his momentous speech by saying, 

Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country. There are forces in operation, which must inevitably work the downfall of slavery. “The arm of the Lord is not shortened,” and the doom of slavery is certain. I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from the Declaration of Independence, the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age.

You can read Frederick Douglass' entire speech here .

6. Abraham Lincoln, Electric Cord Speech, 1858

In this speech often titled, “Speech at Chicago, Illinois” Abraham Lincoln replies to Senator Stephen Douglas’ conception of popular sovereignty. This was a theory that argued that each new territory should be able to decide whether or not to have slavery within their borders instead of allowing the federal government to decide. Lincoln saw this as a repeal of the Missouri Compromise which kept slavery relegated to the South.

To make his case against popular sovereignty and the expansion of slavery Lincoln argues that the adopters of the Constitution decreed that slavery should not go into the new territory and that the slave trade should be cut off within twenty years by an act of Congress. “What were [these provisions] but a clear indication that the framers of the Constitution intended and expected the ultimate extinction of that institution,” Lincoln asked the crowd.

After expounding upon the evils of slavery and recent actions to preserve the institution Lincoln turns to the Declaration of Independence for support. He stated,

We hold this annual celebration to remind ourselves of all the good done in this process of time of how it was done and who did it, and how we are historically connected with it; and we go from these meetings in better humor with ourselves—we feel more attached the one to the other and more firmly bound to the country we inhabit. In every way we are better men in the age, and race, and country in which we live for these celebrations. But after we have done all this we have not yet reached the whole. There is something else connected with it. We have besides these men—descended by blood from our ancestors—among us perhaps half our people who are not descendants at all of these men, they are men who have come from Europe—German, Irish, French and Scandinavian—men that have come from Europe themselves, or whose ancestors have come hither and settled here, finding themselves our equals in all things. If they look back through this history to trace their connection with those days by blood, they find they have none, they cannot carry themselves back into that glorious epoch and make themselves feel that they are part of us, but when they look through that old Declaration of Independence they find that those old men say that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” and then they feel that that moral sentiment taught in that day evidences their relation to those men, that it is the father of all moral principle in them, and that they have a right to claim it as though they were blood of the blood, and flesh of the flesh of the men who wrote that Declaration, (loud and long continued applause) and so they are. That is the electric cord in that Declaration that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together, that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world.

You can read the entire Electric Cord speech here .

7. Abraham Lincoln, Address in Independence Hall, February 22, 1861

On Abraham Lincoln's inaugural journey to Washington as president-elect, he stopped in Philadelphia at the site where the Declaration of Independence had been signed. There he said,

I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence. I have often pondered over the dangers which were incurred by the men who assembled here, and framed and adopted that Declaration of Independence. I have pondered over the toils that were endured by the officers and soldiers of the army who achieved that Independence. I have often inquired of myself, what great principle or idea it was that kept this Confederacy so long together. It was not the mere matter of the separation of the Colonies from the motherland; but that sentiment in the Declaration of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to the world, for all future time. It was that which gave promise that in due time the weight would be lifted from the shoulders of all men. This is a sentiment embodied in the Declaration of Independence.

You can read the entire address in Independence Hall here .

8. Abraham Lincoln, Fragments on the Constitution and Union, January 1, 1861

This short selection is not part of Lincoln’s tome of public speeches. One theory is that Lincoln wrote it while composing his first inaugural address. It is noteworthy because of Lincoln’s argument that what is most important about America are the principles and ideals it was founded upon. That principle, he states, is “Liberty to all.”

The  expression  of that principle, in our Declaration of Independence, was most happy, and fortunate.  Without  this, as well as  with  it, we could have declared our independence of Great Britain; but  without  it, we could not, I think, have secured our free government, and consequent prosperity. No oppressed, people will  fight,  and  endure,  as our fathers did, without the promise of something better, than a mere change of masters. The assertion of that principle, at that time, was the word, “fitly spoken” which has proved an “apple of gold” to us. The Union, and the Constitution, are the picture of silver, subsequently framed around it. The picture was made, not to conceal, or destroy the apple; but to adorn, and preserve it. The picture was made for the apple–not the apple for the picture.

Read the entire Fragments on the Constitution and Union selection here .

9. Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863

Aside from our original founding documents the Gettysburg address is perhaps the most important American creed ever written. It signifies America’s second founding or the moment our first founding more fully aligned with its own ideals. Since its decree America has begun to live in what Lincoln called “a new birth of freedom.” Here are selections from the address:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. […] It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

You can read the full Gettysburg Address here .

10. Winston Churchill, “The Third Great Title-Deed of Anglo-American Liberties” July 4, 1918

A great harmony exists between the spirit and language of the Declaration of Independence and all we are fighting for now. A similar harmony exists between the principles of that Declaration and all that the British people have wished to stand for, and have in fact achieved at last both here at home and in the self-governing Dominions of the Crown. The Declaration of Independence is not only an American document. It follows on Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights as the third great title-deed on which the liberties of the English-speaking people are founded.

Read Churchill's entire speech here .

11. Calvin Coolidge, “Speech on the 150 th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 5 1926

 Calvin Coolidge, the 30 th president of the United States, was sworn in after President Harding’s unexpected death. Harding’s administration was steeped in scandal. Coolidge is known for restoring integrity to the executive branch by rooting out corruption and being a model of integrity.

Coolidge gave his Fourth of July Speech in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation. There he pointed to the Liberty Bell as a great American symbol,

It is little wonder that people at home and abroad consider Independence Hall as hallowed ground and revere the Liberty Bell as a sacred relic. That pile of bricks and mortar, that mass of metal, might appear to the uninstructed as only the outgrown meeting place and the shattered bell of a former time, useless now because of more modern conveniences, but to those who know they have become consecrated by the use which men have made of them. They have long been identified with a great cause. They are the framework of a spiritual event.

Of the Declaration Coolidge stated,

It was not because it was proposed to establish a new nation, but because it was proposed to establish a nation on new principles, that July 4, 1776, has come to be regarded as one of the greatest days in history. Great ideas do not burst upon the world unannounced. They are reached by a gradual development over a length of time usually proportionate to their importance. This is especially true of the principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence. Three very definite propositions were set out in its preamble regarding the nature of mankind and therefore of government. These were the doctrine that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, and that therefore the source of the just powers of government must be derived from the consent of the governed.

Of his trust in our Founding documents he said,

It is not so much, then, for the purpose of undertaking to proclaim new theories and principles that this annual celebration is maintained, but rather to reaffirm and reestablish those old theories and principles which time and the unerring logic of events have demonstrated to be sound. Amid all the clash of conflicting interests, amid all the welter of partisan politics, every American can turn for solace and consolation to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States with the assurance and confidence that those two great charters of freedom and justice remain firm and unshaken. Whatever perils appear, whatever dangers threaten, the Nation remains secure in the knowledge that the ultimate application of the law of the land will provide an adequate defense and protection.

Read Coolidge's full speech here .

12. John F. Kennedy, “Some Elements of the American Character” July 4, 1946

John F. Kennedy gave this speech as a candidate for Congress. In it he offers a robust defense of America’s founding. He lauds America’s religious character and derides the theory that America’s founders were concerned purely with economic interests. He explicitly states,

In recent years, the existence of this element in the American character has been challenged by those who seek to give an economic interpretation to American history. They seek to destroy our faith in our past so that they may guide our future. These cynics are wrong…

 Kennedy instead argues,

In Revolutionary times, the cry "No taxation without representation" was not an economic complaint. Rather, it was directly traceable to the eminently fair and just principle that no sovereign power has the right to govern without the consent of the governed. Anything short of that was tyranny. It was against this tyranny that the colonists "fired the shot heard 'round the world."

Kennedy then espouses a political theory of the American founding that relies on natural rights, 

The American Constitution has set down for all men to see the essentially Christian and American principle that there are certain rights held by every man which no government and no majority, however powerful, can deny. Conceived in Grecian thought, strengthened by Christian morality, and stamped indelibly into American political philosophy, the right of the individual against the State is the keystone of our Constitution. Each man is free.

You can read John F. Kennedy's full speech here .

13. Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream” 1963

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech” is another great cry from another great man declaring that America was not living up to its founding principles.

King begins his speech by harkening back to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. He states, “This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.” Yet, he argues, 100 years later black men and women are still not free. To right this wrong, he points to the Declaration,

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

King refused to believe that there was no hope. He said,

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

King’s dream inspired a nation to live up to its ideals. His beautiful words have become iconic,

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."

 You can read and listen to "I Have a Dream" in full here .

14. Martin Luther King Jr. “The American Dream” Sermon Delivered at Ebenezar Baptist Church” July 4, 1965

In this sermon delivered on July 4, 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. locates the substance of the American dream within the Declaration of Independence. About the statement, “All men are created equal,” King states, “The first saying we notice in this dream is an amazing universalism. It doesn’t say “some men,” it says “all men.”

King goes on to explain to the congregation what separates the United States from other nations around the world.

 Then that dream goes on to say another thing that ultimately distinguishes our nation and our form of government from any totalitarian system in the world. It says that each of us has certain basic rights that are neither derived from or conferred by the state.

As the source of these inalienable rights King points to the fact that they are God-given. “Never before in the history of the world has a sociopolitical document expressed in such profound, eloquent, and unequivocal language the dignity and the worth of human personality,” he said.

King goes on to point out that America has not lived up to this dream. He describes America as being “divided against herself.” He argues that America cannot afford an “anemic democracy.”

He however professed hope that this dream will challenge America to remember her “noble capacity for justice and love and brotherhood.” He further challenged America to respect the “dignity and worth of all human personality” and to live up to the ideal that “all men are created equal.”

King clarifies that equality does not mean that every musician is a Mozart or every philosopher an Aristotle, but that all men are “equal in intrinsic worth.” He points to the Biblical concept of imago dei . He states, “[T]are no gradations in the image of God. Every man from a treble white to a bass black is significant on God’s keyboard, precisely because every man is made in the image of God. He ends his sermon with these powerful words,

We have a dream. It started way back in 1776, and God grant that America will be true to her dream. I still have a dream this morning that truth will reign supreme and all of God’s children will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. And when this day comes the morning stars will sing together and the sons of God will shout for joy.

Read Martin Luther King Jr.'s full sermon here .

15. Ronald Reagan, “Address to the Nation on Independence Day” July 4, 1986

In this speech Reagan recalls the moment of the signing of the Declaration,

Fifty-six men came forward to sign the parchment. It was noted at the time that they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honors. And that was more than rhetoric; each of those men knew the penalty for high treason to the Crown. ``We must all hang together,'' Benjamin Franklin said, ``or, assuredly, we will all hang separately.'' And John Hancock, it is said, wrote his signature in large script so King George could see it without his spectacles. They were brave. They stayed brave through all the bloodshed of the coming years. Their courage created a nation built on a universal claim to human dignity, on the proposition that every man, woman, and child had a right to a future of freedom.

Reagan also talked about the beautiful friendship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. He noted how they died on the same day, July 4 th , exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It was their first gift to us, Reagan said.

My fellow Americans, it falls to us to keep faith with them and all the great Americans of our past. Believe me, if there's one impression I carry with me after the privilege of holding for 5 ½ years the office held by Adams and Jefferson and Lincoln, it is this: that the things that unite us -- America's past of which we're so proud, our hopes and aspirations for the future of the world and this much-loved country -- these things far outweigh what little divides us. And so tonight we reaffirm that Jew and gentile, we are one nation under God; that black and white, we are one nation indivisible; that Republican and Democrat, we are all Americans. Tonight, with heart and hand, through whatever trial and travail, we pledge ourselves to each other and to the cause of human freedom, the cause that has given light to this land and hope to the world.

You can watch Ronald Reagan's speech here or read Reagan's speech here .

About Hillsdale in D.C.

Hillsdale in D.C. is an extension of the teaching mission of Hillsdale College to Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to teach the Constitution and the principles that give it meaning. Through the study of original source documents from American history—and of older books that formed the education of America’s founders—it seeks to inspire students, teachers, citizens, and policymakers to return the America’s principles to their central place in the political life of the nation.

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis , with a circulation of more than 5.7 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu .

Independence Day Speech in English

Independence days are dearly special! This day is, literally, a symbol of all the great things such as liberty, freedom, kindness, humanity, love, patriotism and much more. Thus, people all around the world take nothing for granted when it comes to celebrating their country’s independence day to its fullest. So, they may be celebrating independence day in different ways, yet they do everything to showcase their patriotic selves. There are independence day parties, contests, and events to honor the significance of independence day. Similarly, if your school has chosen you to give an independence day speech in English at the coming independence day function, you can use the speech below to show your patriotism.

You can click here to learn more about the best independence day celebration ideas.

The Best Independence Day Speech in English

There is a beautiful land in the sky. Depicted in colors, before my eyes, A mountainuous region, colored grey, I am enthralled, my senses away beyond, pink tinged becoming there a sunny land, bright and fair at the foot of the mountains is the sea blue and still waitigng for me with golden shores, I see them too beckoning there for me and you now gradually changing for a different scene as more clouds gather where the sea has been

“Good Morning to all the respected teachers, parents and my dear friends. Today we all have gathered to celebrate such a beautiful and honorable national day. We all know that independence days are special and auspicious to all of us. Independence day is a very crucial and most awaited national day for all the citizens of India (or insert the name of your country here).

It is the day when we got liberty from the……………after years of struggles and sacrifices. Not to forget, we all owe this freedom to those freedom fighters who participated and sacrificed their and their loved ones’ lives. Thus, we honor their sacrifices.

Moreover, I would like to mention a few names without whom we would not have been here to celebrate liberty. (insert some of the well known and honorable freedom fighters). This is hard to imagine how tough it was for them to work through the process day and night selflessly to get liberty.

How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy.

It has been almost ________ years since Pakistan emerged as a stand-alone country on the map of the world. Our country has gone through its struggles and hard times. However, the beauty and smell of liberty is evergreen in the air.

Besides, God has blessed us with such a beautiful gift in the name of (Insert name of your country). It has all four seasons, summer, winter, fall, and autumn namely. Thus, there is hardly any kind of fruit or crop our country’s land is not capable of producing. Moreover, it has beautiful and breath-taking landscapes.

Furthermore, our land has been trying its best to meet the fast-growing pace of the countries in the world. Therefore, we have been focusing a little more every year on the well being, both physically and mentally, and the education of our future builders also known as youth.

Our country is not the only thing to which we owe our allegiance. It is also owed to justice and to humanity. Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong.

(Insert the name of your country) is our motherland. We should always be ready to safeguard it from all the bad things. As the youth of this country, it is our responsibility to take over the development and make it the world’s best country in terms of education, peace, discipline, technology, and much more. Besides, it is now our responsibility to live up to our four fathers expectation and actualize the dreams of our citizens.

And with that being said, I would like to say that I am privileged to share a few words with you on this beautiful and honorable day. And I wish you all peace, love, and success.”

10 Best Patriotic Quotes

• “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”  ~Mark Twain
• A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon. ~ Napoleon Bonaparte
• If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace. ~ Hamilton Fish
• One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, One Nation evermore!  ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
• Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.  ~ John F. Kennedy
• The urge to save humanity is almost always a false face for the urge to rule it.   ~ H.L. Mencken
• Government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.  ~Abraham Lincoln
• “In the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it.” ~Barack Hussein Obama
• We must be free, not because we claim freedom but because we practice it. ~William Faulkner
• Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.
• Top 10 Ways to Start a Speech With Confidence and Power
• How to Celebrate Independence Day in School College or University
• Anchoring Script For Speech/Debate Competition

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Speech on Independence Day

• Political Culture
• Rights and Liberties
• July 04, 1837

No study questions

Why is it, Friends and Fellow Citizens, that you are here assembled? Why is it, that, entering upon the sixty-second year of our national existence, you have honored with an invitation to address you from this place, a fellow citizen of a former age, bearing in the records of his memory, the warm and vivid affections which attached him, at the distance of a full half century, to your town, and to your forefathers, then the cherished associates of his youthful days? Why is it that, next to the birth day of the Savior of the World, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day?—And why is it that, among the swarming myriads of our population, thousands and tens of thousands among us, abstaining, under the dictate of religious principle, from the commemoration of that birth-day of Him, who brought life and immortality to light, yet unite with all their brethren of this community, year after year, in celebrating this the birthday of the nation?

Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon the earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfilment of the prophecies, announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?

Cast your eyes backwards upon the progress of time, sixty-one years from this day; and in the midst of the horrors and desolations of civil war, you behold an assembly of Planters, Shopkeepers and Lawyers, the Representatives of the People of thirteen English Colonies in North America, sitting in the City of Philadelphia. These fifty-five men on that day, unanimously adopt and publish to the world, a state paper under the simple title of ’A Declaration’.

The object of this Declaration was two-fold.

First, to proclaim the People of the thirteen United Colonies, one People, and in their name, and by their authority, to dissolve the political bands which had connected them with another People, that is, the People of Great Britain.

Secondly, to assume, in the name of this one People, of the thirteen United Colonies, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station, to which the Laws of Nature, and of Nature’s God, entitled them.

With regard to the first of these purposes, the Declaration alleges a decent respect to the opinions of mankind, as requiring that the one people, separating themselves from another, should declare the causes, which impel them to the separation.—The specification of these causes, and the conclusion resulting from them, constitute the whole paper.

The Declaration was a manifesto, issued from a decent respect to the opinions of mankind, to justify the People of the North American Union, for their voluntary separation from the People of Great Britain, by alleging the causes which rendered this separation necessary.

The Declaration was, thus far, merely an occasional state paper, issued for a temporary purpose, to justify, in the eyes of the world, a People, in revolt against their acknowledged Sovereign, for renouncing their allegiance to him, and dissolving their political relations with the nation over which he presided.

For the second object of the Declaration, the assumption among the powers of the earth of the separate and equal station, to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitled them, no reason was assigned,—no justification was deemed necessary.

The first and chief purpose of the Declaration of Independence was interesting to those by whom it was issued, to the people, their constituents in whose name it was promulgated, and to the world of mankind to whom it was addressed, only during that period of time, in which the independence of the newly constituted people was contested, by the wager of battle. Six years of War, cruel, unrelenting, merciless War,—War, at once civil and foreign, were waged, testing the firmness and fortitude of the one People, in their inflexible adherence to that separation from the other, which their Representatives in Congress had proclaimed. By the signature of the Preliminary Articles of Peace, on the 30th of November 1782, their warfare was accomplished, and the Spirit of the Lord, with a voice reaching to the latest of future ages, might have exclaimed, like the sublime prophet of Israel,—”Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. saith your God.” (Isaiah 40:1)

But, from that day forth, the separation of the one People from the other was a solitary fact in their common history; a mere incident in the progress of human events, not more deserving of special and annual commemoration by one of the separated parts, than by the other. Still less were the causes of the separation subjects for joyous retrospection by either of the parties.—The causes were acts of misgovenment committed by the King and Parliament of Great Britain. In the exasperation of the moment they were alleged to be acts of personal tyranny and oppression by the King. George the third was held individually responsible for them all. The real and most culpable oppressor, the British Parliament, was not even named, in the bill of pains and penalties brought against the monarch. – They were described only as “others” combined with him; and, after a recapitulation of all the grievances with which the Colonies had been afflicted by usurped British Legislation, the dreary catalogue was closed by the sentence of unqualified condemnation, that a prince, whose character was thus marked by every act which might define a tyrant, was unworthy to be the ruler of a free people.

The King, thus denounced by a portion of his subjects, casting off their allegiance to his crown, has long since gone to his reward. His reign was long, and disastrous to his people, and his life presents a melancholy picture of the wretchedness of all human grandeur; but we may now, with the candour of impartial history, acknowledge that he was not a tyrant. His personal character was endowed with many estimable qualities. His intentions were good; his disposition benevolent; his integrity unsullied; his domestic virtues exemplary; his religious impressions strong and conscientious; his private morals pure; his spirit munificent, in the promotion of the arts, literature and sciences; and his most fervent wishes devoted to the welfare of his people. But he was born to be a hereditary king, and to exemplify in his life and history the irremediable vices of that political institution, which substitutes birth for merit, as the only qualification for attaining the supremacy of power. George the third believed that the Parliament of Great Britain had the right to enact laws for the government of the people of the British Colonies in all cases. An immence majority of the people of the British Islands believed the same. That people were exclusively the constituents of the British House of Commons, where the project of taxing the people of the Colonies for a revenue originated; and where the People of the Colonies were not preresented. The purpose of the project was to alleviate the burden of taxation bearing upon the people of Britain, by levying a portion of it upon the people of the Colonies.—At the root of all this there was a plausible theory of sovereignty, and unlimited power in Parliament, conflicting with the vital principle of English Freedom, that taxation and representation are inseparable, and that taxation without representation is a violation of the right of property. Here was a conflict between two first principles of government, resulting from a defect in the British Constitution: the principle that sovereign power in human Government is in its nature unlimited; and the principle that property can lawfully be taxed only with the consent of its owner. Now these two principles, carried out into practice, are utterly irreconcileable with each other. The lawyers of Great Britain held them both to be essential principles of the British Constitution.—In their practical application, the King and Parliament and people of Great Britain, appealed for the right to tax the Colonies to the unlimited and illimitable sovereignty of the Parliament.—The Colonists appealed to the natural right of property, and the articles of the Great Charter. The collision in the application of these two principles was the primitive cause of the severance of the North American Colonies, from the British Empire. The grievances alleged in the Declaration of Independence were all secondary causes, amply sufficient to justify before God and man the separation itself; and that resolution, to the support of which the fifty-five Representatives of the One People of the United Colonies pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, after passing through the fiery ordeal of a six years war, was sanctioned by the God of Battles, and by the unqualified acknowledgement of the defeated adversary.

This, my countrymen, was the first and immediate purpose of the Declaration of Independence. It was to justify before the tribunal of public opinion, throughout the world, the solemn act of separation of the one people from the other.

But this is not the reason for which you are here assembled. The question of right and wrong involved in the resolution of North American Independence was of transcendant importance to those who were actors in the scene. A question of life, of fortune, of fame, of eternal welfare. To you, it is a question of nothing more than historical interest. The separation itself was a painful and distressing event; a measure resorted to by your forefathers with extreme reluctance, and justified by them, in their own eyes, only as a dictate of necessity.—They had gloried in the name of Britons: It was a passport of honour throughout the civilized world. They were now to discard it forever, with all its tender and all its generous sympathies, for a name obscure and unknown, the honest fame of which was to be achieved by the gallantry of their own exploits and the wisdom of their own counsels.

But, with the separation of the one people from the other, was indissolubly connected another event. They had been British Colonies,—distinct and separate subordinate portions of one great community. In the struggle of resistance against one common oppressor, by a moral centripetal impulse they had spontaneously coalesced into One People. They declare themselves such in express terms by this paper.—The members of the Congress, who signed their names to the Declaration, style themselves the Representatives, not of the separate Colonies, but of the United States of America in Congress. No one Colony is named in the Declaration, nor is there anything on its face, indicating from which of the Colonies, any one of the signers was delegated. They proclaim the separation of one people from another.—They affirm the right of the People, to institute, alter, and abolish their government:—and their final language is, “we do, in the name, and by the authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies, are and of a right ought to be FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES.” The Declaration was not, that each of the States was separately Free and Independent, but that such was their united condition. And so essential was their union, both in principle and in fact, to their freedom and independence, that, had one of the Colonies seceded from the rest, and undertaken to declare herself free and independent, she could have maintained neither her independence nor her freedom.

And, by this paper, this One People did notify the world of mankind that they thereby did assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station, to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitled them.

This was indeed a great and solemn event. The sublimest of the prophets of antiquity with the voice of inspiration had exclaimed, “Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once?” (Isaiah 66:8) In the two thousand five hundred years, that has elapsed since the days of that prophecy, no such event had occurred. It had never been seen before. In the annals of the human race, then, for the first time, did one People announce themselves as a member of that great community of the powers of the earth, acknowledging the obligations and claiming the rights of the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God. The earth was made to bring forth in one day! A Nation was born at once!

Well, indeed, may such a day be commemorated by such a Nation, from year to year! But whether as a day of festivity and joy, or of humiliation and mourning,—that fellow-citizens,—that, In the various turns of chance below, depends not upon the event itself, but upon its consequences; and after threescore years of existance, not so much upon the responsibilities of those who brought the Nation forth, as upon the moral, political, and intellectual character of the present generation,—of yourselves. In the common intercourse of social life, the birth-day of individuals is often held as a yearly festive day by themselves, and their immediate relatives; yet, as early as the age of Solomon, that wisest of men told the people of Jerusalem, that, as a good name was better than precious ointment, so the day of death was better than the day of one’s birth. (Ecclesiastes 7:1)

Are you then assembled here, my brethren, children of those who declared your National Independence, in sorrow or in joy? In gratitude for blessings enjoyed, or in affliction for blessings lost? In exultation at the energies of your fathers, or in shame and confusion of face at your own degeneracy from their virtues? Forgive the apparent rudeness of these enquiries:—they are not addressed to you under the influence of a doubt what your answer to them will be. You are not here to unite in echoes of mututal gratulation for the separation of your forefathers from their kindred freemen of the British Islands. You are not here even to commorate the mere accidental incident, that, in the annual revolution of the earth in her orbit round the sun, this was the birthday of the Nation. You are here, to pause a moment and take breath, in the ceaseless and rapid race of time;—to look back and forward;—to take your point of departure from the ever memorable transactions of the day of which this is the anniversary, and while offering your tribute of thanksgiving to the Creator of all worlds, for the bounties of his Providence lavished upon your fathers and upon you, by the dispensations of that day, and while recording with filial piety upon your memories, the grateful affections of your hearts to the good name, the sufferings, and the services of that age, to turn your final reflections inward upon yourselves, and to say:—These are the glories of a generation past away,—what are the duties which they devolve upon us?

The Declaration of Independence, in announcing to the world of mankind, that the People comprising the thirteen British Colonies on the continent of North America assumed, from that day, as One People, their separate and equal station among the powers of the earth, explicitly unfolded the principles upon which their national association had, by their unanimous consent, and by the mutual pledges of their faith, been formed. It was an association of mutual covenants. Every intelligent individual member of that self-constituted People did, by his representative in Congress, the majority speaking for the whole, and the husband and parent for the wife and child, bind his and their souls to a promise, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of his intentions, covenanting with all the rest that they would for life and death be faithful members of that community, and bear true allegiance to that Sovereign, upon the principles set forth in that paper. The lives, the fortunes, and the honour, of every free human being forming a part of those Colonies, were pledged, in the face of God and man, to the principles therein promulgated.

My countrymen!—the exposition of these principles will furnish the solution to the question of the purpose for which you are here assembled.

In recurring to those principles, let us remark,

First, that the People of the thirteen Colonies announced themselves to the world, and solemnly bound themselves, with an appeal to God, to be One People. And this One People, by their Representatives, declared the United Colonies free and independent States.

Secondly, they declared the People, and not the States, to be the only legitimate source of power; and that to the people alone belonged the right to institute, to alter, to abolish, and to re-institute government. And hence it follows, that as the People of the separate Colonies or States formed only parts of the One People assuming their station among the powers of the earth, so the People of no one State could separate from the rest, but by a revolution, similar to that by which the whole People had separated themselves from the People of the British Islands, nor without the violation of that solemn covenant, by which they bound themselves to support and maintain the United Colonies, as free and independent States.

An error of the most dangerous character, more than once threatening the dissolution by violence of the Union itself, has occasionally found countenance and encouratement in several of the States, by an inference not only unwarranted by the language and import of the Declaration, but subversive of its fundamental principles. This inference is, that because by this paper the United Colonies were declared free and independent States, therefore each of the States, separately, was free, independent and sovereign. The pernicious and fatal malignity of this doctrine consists, not in the mere attribution of sovereignty to the separate States; for within their appropriate functions and boundaries they are sovereign;—but in adopting that very definition of sovereignty, which had bewildered the senses of the British Parliament, and which rent in twain the Empire;—that principle, the resistance to which was the vital spark of the American revolutionary cause, namely, that sovereignty is identical with unlimited and illimitable power.

The origin of this error was of a very early date after the Declaration of Independence, and the infusion of its spirit into the Articles of Confederation, first formed for the government of the Union, was the seed of dissolution sown in the soil of that compact, which palsied all its energies from the day of its birth, and exhibited it to the would only as a monument of impotence and imbecility.

The Declaration did not proclaim the separate States free and independent; much less did it announce them as sovereign States, or affirm that they separately possessed the war-making or the peace-making power. The fact was directly the reverse.

The Declaration was, that the United Colonies, forming one People, were free and independent States; that they were absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown; that all political connection, between them and the State of Great Britaink, was and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent States, they had full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and do all other acts and things, which independent States may of right do. But all this was affirmed and declared not of the separate, but of the United States. And so far was it from the intention of the Congress, or of the One People whom they represented, to declare that all the powers sovereignty were possessed by the separate States, that the specification of the several powers of levying war, concluding peace, contracting alliances, and establishing commerce, was obviously introduced as the indication of powers exclusively possessed by the one People of the United States, and not appertaining to the People of each of the separate States. This distinction was indeed indispensable to the necessitites of their condition. The Declaration was issued in the midst of a war, commenced by insurrection against their common sovereign, and until then raging as a civil war. Not the insurrection of one of the Colonies; not the insurrection of the organized government of any one of the Colonies; but the insurrection of the People of the whole thirteen. The insurrection was one. The civil war was one. In constituting themselves one People, it could not possibly be their intention to leave the power of concluding the peace to each of the States of which the Union was composed. The war was waged against all. The war itself had united the inhabitants of the thirteen Colonies into one People. The lyre of Orpheus was the standard of the Union. By the representatives of that one People, and by them alone, could the peace be concluded. Had the people of any one of the States pretended to the right of concluding a separate peace, the very fact would have operated as a dismembermant of the Union, and could have been carried into effect only by the return of that portion of the People to the condition of British subjects.

Thirdly, the Declaration of Independence announced the One People, assuming their station among the powers of the earth, as a civilized, religious, and Christian people,—acknowledging themselves bound by the obligations, and claiming the rights to which they were entitled by the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God.

They had formed a subordinate portion of an European Christian nation, in the condition of Colonies. The laws of social intercourse between sovereign communities constitute the laws of nations, all derived from three sources:—the laws of nature, or in other words the dictates of justice; usages, sanctioned by custom; and treaties, or national covenants. Superadded to these the Christian nations, between themselves, admit, with various latitudes of interpretation, and little consistency of practice, the laws of humanity and mutual benevolence taught in the gospel of Christ. The European Colonies in America had all been settled by Christian nations; and the first of them, settled before the reformation of Luther, had sought their justification for taking possession of lands inhabited by men of another race, in a grant of authority from the successor of Saint Peter at Rome, for converting the natives of the country to the Christian code of religion and morals. After the reformation, the kings of England, substituting themselves in the place of the Roman Pontiff, as heads of the Church, granted charters for the same benebolent purposes; and as these colonial establishments successively arose, worldly purposes, the spirit of adventure, and religious persecution took their place, together with the conversion of the heathen, among the motives for the European establishments in this Western Hemisphere. Hence had arisen among the colonizing nations, a customary law, under which the commerce of all colonial settlements was confined exclusively to the metropolis or mother country. The Declaration of Independence cast off all the shackles of this dependency. The United States of America were no longer Colonies. They were an independent Nation of Christians, recognizing the general principles of the European law of nations.

But to justify their separation from the parent State, it became necessary for them to set forth the wrongs which they had endured. Their colonial condition had been instituted by charters from the British kings. These they considered as compacts between the King as their sovereign and them as his subjects. In all these charters, there were stipulations for securing to the colonists the enjoyment of the rights of natural born Englishmen. The attempt to tax them by Act of Parliament was a violation of their charters. And as the Parliament, to sustain the right of taxing the Colonies had appealed to the prerogative of sovereign power, the colonists, to refute that claim, after appealing in vain to their charters, and to the Great Charter of England, were obliged to resort to the natural rights of mankind;—to the laws of nature and of Nature’s God.

And now, my friends and fellow citizens, have we not reached the cause of your assemblage here? Have we not ascended to the source of that deep, intense, and never-fading interest, which, to your fathers, from the day of the issuing of this Declaration,—to you, on this sixty-first anniversary after that event,—and to your children and theirs of the fiftieth generation,—has made and will continue to make it the first and happiest of festive days?

In setting forth the justifying causes of their separation from Great Britain, your fathers opened the fountains of the great deep. For the first time since the creation of the world, the act, which constituted a great people, laid the foundation of their government upon the unalterable and eternal principles of human rights.

They were comprized in a few short sentences, and were delivered with the unqualified confidence of self evident truths.

“We hold,” says the Declaration, “these truths to be self-evident:—that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundations on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”

It is afterwards stated to be the duty of the People, when their governments become incorrigibly oppressive, to throw them off, and to provide new guards for their future security; and it is alleged that such was the condition of the British Colonies at that time, and that they were constrained by necessity to alter their systems of government.

The origin of lawful government among men had formed a subject of profound investigation and of ardent discussion among the philosophers of ancient Greece. The theocratic government of the Hebrews had been founded upon a covenant between God and man; a law, given by the Creator of the world, and solemnly accepted by the people of Israel. It derived all its powers, therefore, from the consent of the governed, and gave the sanction of Heaven itself to the principle, that the consent of the governed is the only legitimate source of authority to man over man.

But the history of mankind had never before furnished an example of a government directly and expressly instituted upon this principle. The association of men, bearing the denomination of the People, had been variously formed, and the term itself was of very indefinite signification. In the most ordinary acceptation of the word, a people, was understood to mean a multitude of human beings united under one supreme government, and one and the same civil polity. But the same term was equally applied to subordinate divisions of the same nation; and the inhabitants of every province, county, city, town, or village, bore the name, as habitually as the whole population of a kingdom or an empire. In the theories of government, it was never imagined that the people of every hamlet or subordinate district of territory should possess the power of constituting themselves an independent State; yet are they justly entitled to the appellation of people, and to exemption from all authority derived from any other source than their own consent, express or implied.

The Declaration of Independence constituted all the inhabitants of European descent in the thirteen English Colonies of North America, one People, with all the attributes of rightful sovereign power. They had, until then, been ruled by thirteen different systems of government; none of them sovereign; but all subordinate to one sovereign, separated from them by the Atlantic Ocean. The Declaration of Independence altered these systems of government, and transformed these dependant Colonies into united, free, and independent States.

The distribution of the sovereign powers of government, between the body representing the whole People, and the municipal authorities substituted for the colonial governments, was left for after consideration. The People of each Colony, absolved by the People of the whole Union from their allegiance to the British crown, became themselves, upon the principles of the Declaration, the sovereigns to institute and organize new systems of government, to take the place of those which had been abolished by the will of the whole People, as proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence.

It will be remembered, that, until that time, the whole movement of resistance against the usurpations of the British government had been revolutionary, and therfore irregular. The colonial governments were still under the organization of their charters, except that of Massachusetts-Bay, which had been formally vacated, and the royal government was administered by a military commander and regiments of soldiers. The country was in a state of civil war. The people were in revolt, claiming only the restoration of their violated rights as subjects of the British king. The members of the Congress had been elected by the Legislative assemblies of the Colonies, or by self-constituted popular conventions or assemblies, in opposition to the Governors. Their original mission had been to petition, to remonstrate; to disclaim all intention or purpose of independence; to seek, with earnest entreaty, the redress of grievances, and reconciliation with the paarent State. They had received no authority, at their first appointment, to declare independence, or to dissolve the political connection between the Colonies and Great Britain. But they had petitioned once and again, and their petitions had been slighted. The had remonstrated, and their remonstrances had been contemned. They had disclaimed all intention of independence, and their disclaimer had been despised. They had finally recommended to the People to look for their redemption to themselves, and they had been answered by voluntary and spontaneous calls for independence. They declarred it, therefore, in the name and by the authority of the People, and their declaration was confirmed from New-Hampshire to Georgia with one universal shout of approbation.

And never, from that to the present day, has ther been one moment of regret, on the part of the People, whom they thus declared independent, at this mighty change of their condition, nor one moment of distrust, of the justice of that declaration. In the mysterious ways of Providence, manifested by the course of human events, the feeble light of reason is often at a loss to discover the coincidence between the laws of eternal justice, and the decrees of fortune or of fate in the affairs of men. In the corrupted currents of this world, not only is the race not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, (Ecclesiastes 9:11) but the heart is often wrung with anguish at the sight of the just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and of the wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. (Ecclesiastes 7:15) Far different and happier is the retrospect upon the great and memorable transaction. Every individual, whose name was affixed to that paper, has finished his career upon earth; and who, at this day would not dream it a blessing to have had his name recorded on that list? The act of abolishing the government under which they had lived,—of renouncing and abjuring the allegiance by which they had been bound,—of dethroning their sovereign, and of discarding their country herself,—purified and elevated by the principles which they proclaimed, and by the motives which they promulgated as their stimulants to action,—stands recorded in the annals of the human race, as one among the brightest achievements of human virtue: applauded on earth, ratified and confirmed by the fiat of Heaven.

The principles, thus triumphantly proclaimed and established, were the natural and unalienable rights of man, and the supreme authority of the People, as the only legitimate source of power in the institution of civil government. But let us not mistake the extent, nor turn our eyes from the limitations necessary for the application, of the principles themselves. Who were the People, thus invested by the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God, with sovereign powers? And what were the sovereign powers thus vested in the People?

First, the whole free People of the thirteen United British Colonies in North America. The Declaration was their act; prepared by their Representatives; in their name, and by their authority. An act of the most transcendant sovereignty; abolishing the governments of thirteen Colonies; absolving their inhabitants from the bands of their allegiance, and declaring the whole People of the British Islands, theretofore their fellow subjects and countrymen, aliens and foreigners

Secondly, the free People of each of the thirteen Colonies, thus transformed into united, free, and independent States. Each of these formed a constituent protion of the whole People; and it is obvious that the power acknowledged to be in them could neither be co-extensive, nor inconsistent with, that rightfully exercised by the whole People.

In absolving the People of the thirteen United Colonies from the bands of their allegiance to the British crown, the Congress, representing the whole People, neither did nor could absolve them, or any one individual among them, from the obligation of any other contract by which he had been previously bound. They neither did nor could, for example, release any portion of the People from the duties of private and domestic life. They could not dissolve the relations of husband and wife; of parent and child; of guardian and ward; of master and servant; of partners in trade; of debtor and creditor;—nor by the investment of each of the Colonies with sovereign power could they bestow upon them the power of dissolving any of those relations, or of absolving any one of the individual citizens of the Colony from the fulfilment of all the obligations resulting from them.

The sovereign authority, conferred upon the People of the Colonies by the Declaration of Independence, could not dispense them, nor any individual citizen of them, from the fulfilment of all their moral obligations; for to these they were bound by the laws of Nature’s God; nor is there any power upon earth capable of granting absolution from them. The People, who assumed their equal and separate station among the powers of the earth by the laws of Nature’s God, by that very act acknowledged themselves bound to the observance of those laws, and could neither exercise nor confer any power inconsistent with them.

The sovereign authority, conferred by the Declaration of Independence upon the people of each of the Colonies, could not extend to the exercise of any power inconsistant with that Declaration itself. It could not, for example, authorize any one of the United States to conclude a separate peace with Great Britain; to connect itself as a Colony with France, or any other European power; to contract a separate alliance with any other State of the Union; or separately to establish commerce. These are all acts of sovereignty, which the Declaration of Independence affirmed the United States were competent to perform, but which for that very reason were necessarily excluded from the powers of sovereignty conferred upon each of the separate States. The Declaration itself was at once a social compact of the whole People of the Union, embracing thirteen distinct communities united in one, and a manifesto proclaiming themselves to the world of mankind, as one Nation, posessed of all the attributes of sovereign power. But this united sovereignty could not possibly consist with the absolute sovereignty of each of the separate States.

“That were to make Strange contradiction, which to God himself Impossible is held, as argument Of weakness, not of power.” (Milton. Paradise Lost .)

The position, thus assumed by this one People consisting of thirteen free and independent States, was new in the history of the world. It was complicated and compounded of elements never before believed susceptible of being blended together. The error of the British Parliament, the proximate cause of the Revolution, that sovereignty was in its nature unlimited and illimitable, taught as a fundamental doctrine by all the English lawyers, was too deeply imprinted upon the minds of the lawyers of our own country to be eradicated, even by the civil war, which it had produced. The most celebrated British moralist of the age, Dr. Samuel Johnson, in a controversial tract on the dispute between Britain and her Colonies, had expressly laid down as the basis of his argument, that—”All government is essentially absolute. That in sovereignty there are no gradations. That there may be limited royalty; there may be limited consulship; but there can be no limited government. There must in every society be some power or other from which there is no appeal; which admits no restrictions; which pervades the whole mass of the community; regulates and adjusts all subordination; enacts laws or repeals them; erects or annuls judicatures; extends or contracts privileges; exempts itself from question or control; and bounded only by physical necessity.” (Johnson’s Taxation no Tyranny)

The Declaration of Independence was founded upon the direct reverse of all these propositions. It did not recognize, but implicitly denied, the unlimited nature of sovereignty. By the affirmation that the principal natural rights of mankind are unalienable, it placed them beyond the reach of organized human power; and by affirming that governments are instituted to secure them, and may and ought to be abolished if they become destructive of those ends, they made all government subordinate to the moral supremacy of the People.

The Declaration itself did not even announce the States as sovereign, but as united, free and independent, and having power to do all acts and things which independent States may of right do. It acknowledged, therefore, a rule of right, paramount to the power of independent States itself, and virtually disclaimed all power to do wrong. This was a novelty in the moral philosophy of nations, and it is the essential point of difference between the system of government announced in the Declaration of Independence, and those systems which had until then prevailed among men. A moral Ruler of the universe, the Governor and Controller of all human power is the only unlimited sovereign acknowledged by the Declaration of Independence; and it claims for the United States of America, when assuming their equal station among the nations of the earth, only the power to do all that may be done of right.

Threescore and one years have passed away, since this Declaration was issued, and we may now judge of the tree by its fruit. It was a bold and hazardous step, when considered merely as the act of separation of the Colonies from Great Britain. Had the cause in which it was issued failed, it would have subjected every individual who signed it to the pains and penalties of treason; to a cruel and ignominious death. But, inflexible as were the spirits, and intrepid as were the hearts of the patriots, who by this act set at defiance the colossal power of the British Empire, bolder and more intrepid still were the souls, which, at that crisis in human affairs, dared to proclaim the new and fundamental principles upon which their incipient Republic was to be founded. It was an experiment upon the heart of man. All the legislators of the human race, until that day, had laid the foundations of all government among men in power; and hence it was, that, in the maxims of theory, as well as in the practice of nations, sovereignty was held to be unlimited and illimitable. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed another law. A law of resistance against sovereign power, when wielded for oppression. A law ascending the tribunal of the universal lawgiver and judge. A law of right, binding upon nations as well as individuals, upon sovereigns as well as upon subjects. By that law the colonists had resisted their sovereign. By that law, when that resistance had failed to reclaim him to the rule of right, they renounced him, abjured his allegiance, and assumed the exercise of rightful sovereignty themselves. But, in assuming the attributes of sovereign power, they appealed to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of their intentions, and neither claimed nor conferred authority to do any thing but of right.

Of the war with Grest Britain, by which the independence thus declared was maintained, and of the peace by which it was acknowledged, it is unnecessary to say more. The war was deeply distressing and calamitous, and its most instructive lesson was to teach the new confederate Republic the inestimable value of the blessings of peace. When the peace came, all controversy with Great Britain, with regard to the principles upon which the Declaration of Independence had been issued, was terminated, and ceased forever. The main purpose for which it had been issued was accomplished. No idle exultation of victory was worthy of the holy cause in which it had been achieved. No ungenerous triumph over the defeat of a generous adversary was consistent with the purity of the principles upon which the strife had been maintained. Had that contest furnished the only motives for the celebration of the day, its anniversary should have ceased to be commerated, and the Fourth of July would thenceforward have passed unnoticed from year to year, scarcely numbered among the dies fasti of the Nation.

But the Declaration of Independence had abolished the government of the thirteen British Colonies in North America. A new government was to be instituted in its stead. A task more trying had developed upon the people of the Union than the defence of their country against foreign armies; a duty more arduous than that of fighting the battles of the Revolution.

The elements and the principles for the formation of the new government were all contained in the Declaration of Independence; but the adjustment of them to the condition of the parties to the compact was a work of time, of reflection, of experience, of calm deliberation, of moral and intellectual exertion; for those elements were far from being homogeneous, and there were circumstances in the condition of the parties, far from conformable to the principles procliamed. The Declaration had laid the foundation of all civil government, in the unalienable natural rights of individual man, of which it had specifically named three:—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,—declaring them to be among others not enumerated. The revolution had been exclusively popular and democratic, and the Declaration had announced that the only object of the institution of governments among men was to secure their unalienable rights, and that they derived their just powers from the consent of the governed. The Declaration proclaimed the parties to the compact as one People, composed of united Colonies, thenceforward free and independent States, constrained by necessity to alter their former systems of government. It would seem necessarily to follow from these elements and these principles, that the government for the whole People should have been instituted by the whole People and the government of each of the independent States by the People of that State. But obvious as that conclusion is, it is nevertheless equally true, that it has not been wholly accomplished even to this day.

On the tenth of May preceding the day of the Declaration, the Congress had adopted a resolution, which may be considered as the herald to that Independence. After its adoption it was considered of such transcendent importance, that a special committee of three members was appointed to prepare a preamble to it. On the fifteenth of May this preamble was reported, adopted, and ordered to be published, with the resolution, which had been adopted on the tenth. The preamble and resolution are in the following words:

“Whereas his Britannic Majesty, in conjunction with the Lords and Commons of Great Britain, has, by a late Act of Parliament, excluded the inhabitants of these United Colonies from the protection of his crown; and whereas no answer whatever to the jumble petitions of the Colonies, for redress of grievances and reconciliation with Great Britain, has been or is likely to be given, but the whole course of that kingdom, aided by foreign mercenaries, is to be exerted for the destruction of the good people of these Colonies; and whereas it appears absolutely irreconcileable to reason and good conscience for the people of these Colonies now to take the oaths and affirmations necessary for the support of any government under the crown of Great Britain, and it is necessary that the exercise of every kind of authority under the said crown should be totally suppressed, and all the powers of government exerted under the authority of the people of the Colonies, for the preservation of internal peace, virtue, and good order, as well as for the defence of their lives, liberties, and properties, against the hostile invasions and cruel depredations of their enemies:—Therefore, Resolved, “That it be recommended to the respective assemblies and conventions of the United Colonies, where no government sufficient to the exigencies of their affairs hath been hitherto established, to adopt such government as shall, in the opinion of the Representatives of the People, best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and America in general.”

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• India Independence Day Speech in English: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav 2023

77th Independence Day Speech for Kids

We celebrate Indian Independence Day every year on 15 August as a national holiday in India to commemorate the independence of the nation from the British on 15 August 1947. This was the day when the Indian Independence Act of 1947 came into effect, which transferred the legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly. This year, India is celebrating its 77th  Independence Day 2023 as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav 2023.’

Students can also find Independence Day Long and Short Speech in English here.

Long and Short Independence Day Speech in English for Students

Long independence day speech for students in english.

Good Morning Everyone!

Greetings on this momentous occasion of India's Independence Day! Today, we gather to celebrate the remarkable journey of our nation towards freedom and sovereignty. This year, the 77th Indian Independence Day 2023 is being celebrated as ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, It's a day that echoes with the sacrifices of countless heroes who fought tirelessly for our liberty. 

As we look back, August 15, 1947, marked the end of British colonial rule, and India emerged as a sovereign nation. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Indian Prime Minister to raise the National Flag at the Red Fort near Delhi's Lahore Gate. Our struggle for independence was not just a political movement; it was a testament to the indomitable spirit of our people. From the non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi to the bravery of countless others, we stood united in our quest for self-determination.

On this auspicious day, let us remember and pay homage to those who laid down their lives for the cause of freedom. Their sacrifices have paved the way for the India we know today – diverse, vibrant, and resilient.

Independence Day is not just about the past; it's also a time to reflect on the present and envision our future. As citizens of this great nation, we bear the responsibility of upholding the principles of justice, equality, and fraternity. Let us work together to build a society where every individual has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background.

In the face of challenges, let us draw inspiration from the unity that defined our struggle for independence. Our diversity is our strength, and by embracing it, we can overcome any obstacle that comes our way.

As we hoist our national flag today, let it be a symbol of our shared aspirations and commitment to a better tomorrow. Just like the color of our flag represents:

Saffron signifying courage and sacrifice

White signifies peace and truth

Green signifies faith and chivalry

Happy Independence Day to one and all! Jai Hind!

Short Speech on Independence Day for Kids

10 Lines Independence Day Short Speech in English

India gained independence on August 15th, 1947.

After independence, Indians acquired all their fundamental rights.

People celebrate Independence Day by hoisting the National Flag and reciting the National Anthem.

We should all be proud to be Indian, and we should admire our fortune to have been born in the land of Independent India.

From 1857 to 1947, the lives of many freedom fighters and several decades of struggle were sacrificed.

For the independence of India, an Indian soldier (Mangal Pandey) in the British force first raised his voice against the British.

Several great freedom fighters later struggled and dedicated their entire lives to India’s freedom. 

The sacrifices of all the freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Khudi Ram Bose, and Chandra Sekhar Azad, who lost their lives at an early age just to fight for their country, can never be forgotten.

Gandhiji was a great Indian figure who gave the world a great lesson in non-violence.

We are so lucky to have been given a land of peace and happiness by our forefathers, where we can sleep all night without fear and enjoy the whole day at school or home.

Independence Day Freedom Fighters Speech

Here are some of the Independence Day Freedom Fighters Speeches that every student should hear or read once and know the struggle involved during the independence of the country.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak's “Swaraj is my Birthright”.  

In 1917, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who had spent six times in prison, gave this speech in Nashik. In the ongoing public battle for self-government and eventually full independence, the expression" Swaraj is my birthright" played a significant part. 

Mahatma Gandhi's “Address to Leave India”. 

On August 8, 1942, in Bombay, Mahatma Gandhi gave the "Quit India" address. Also, August Kranti Maidan has been used to relate to the position of Mahatma Gandhi's address at the Gowalia Tank Maidan. 

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's “Give Me Blood, and I'll Give You Freedom”. 

This is arguably one of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's most well-known addresses. In 1944, he gave the Indian National Army members in Burma this speech. 

Mahatma Gandhi's Speech from the Dandi March.  

In this speech, Mahatma Gandhi understood the part of a boycott of British significance and the turndown to pay taxes to the British government at the dusk of the significant Dandi March.

Importance of Independence Day Speech for Children

Following are the points that tell the importance of Independence Day Speech for Children.

It explains to them how our nation freed itself from British rule, and about the sacrifices our freedom fighters made on behalf of the nation. We also do it to teach our kids about our nation's past.

Additionally, it helps kids understand the recent changes that have occurred. Consequently, to encourage them to take their careers and commitment to improve our nation's future seriously.

India is a free nation that attained independence on August 15, 1947. Making the next generation aware of the sacrifices we have made to make this country a better place for them is one of the key goals of celebrating Independence Day. Celebrating Independence Day makes everyone feel proud of the freedom fighters who fought with the Britishers to give freedom to us. It makes everyone happy, and people show respect towards them and the country by hoisting the Indian flag.

FAQs on India Independence Day Speech in English: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav 2023

1. How can you write a good speech on Independence Day?

The best method to write a speech is to gather the points you want to mention regarding the topic and follow a standard format. Every speech writing attempt must carry a message to the reader. For instance, the ideal message for this topic is to increase the patriotic feeling among the readers and remind them how much sacrifice our forefathers have done to give us freedom from colonial rule.

2. Is it necessary to mention the historic dates in this topic?

It is necessary to remember and mention the historic dates chronologically to make your speech better. Your speech compilation will become more admirable among the judges or teachers, and you will be able to score well. 

3. Why is this year 77th Independence Day?

India gained independence on 15 August 1947. This year is 2023, which is 76 years after 1947. Therefore, this year is the 77th Independence Day.

4. Who is the No 1 freedom fighter?

There isn't a singular "No 1" freedom fighter, as many people made significant contributions to the Indian independence movement. However, some of the most notable freedom fighters include Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Bhagat Singh.

5. What are some key points to include in India's Independence Day speech?

Briefly share the historical context of the struggle for independence.

Highlight the contributions of prominent freedom fighters.

Reflect on the challenges and achievements of independent India.

Offer a vision for the future of the nation.

Emphasize the importance of individual responsibility and collective action in building a better India.

6. What are some significant events in the journey to independence? 

Some major milestones include the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the rise of the Indian National Congress, the Non-cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience Movement, and Quit India Movement.

7. What are the challenges and achievements of independent India? 

Challenges included: poverty, inequality, corruption, environmental issues, and social conflicts. Achievements could encompass economic growth, technological advancements, democratic institutions, and cultural diversity.

8. What is the appropriate length for the speech?  

This depends on the audience and setting. For schools, 3-5 minutes might be suitable, while a public speech could be longer (10-15 minutes).

9. How can I make the speech engaging? 

Use anecdotes, historical references, quotes, and personal stories to connect with the audience. Vary your voice and pace, and use appropriate gestures and expressions.

Welcome Speech for Independence Day for Students and Children

Welcome speech for independence day.

Hello Everyone, I am here to present a welcome speech for Independence Day. Today it’s our 72 nd Independence Day and we should feel proud to be a part of an Independent nation that has freedom of speech, freedom to live life in our own way. We do not have to follow anybody’s slavery. But this was not the case 72 years ago when we were a slave to the British Government. India has been ruled by Britishers for almost 200 years and after a continuous struggle by our freedom fighters, we achieved independence on 15 th august 1947. On this day, the national flag was hoisted on red fort Delhi by Prime Minister Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. Since then we are celebrating Independence Day in every government department, school, and college. This is a day of pride and joy for every citizen of the country.

How we achieved Independence

India was once called “Sone ki chidiya” which means that we had abundant resources. Our land was productive, we have ample of minerals and rocks. We were home to the largest spice market. We also have a productive human workforce. This made the British government capture our country and use it for our own benefits.

They conspired against us through the “Divide and Rule policy” and slowly gained control over the country. The people of our country being illiterate and ignorant were easily deceived by Britishers and they gained control of our kingdoms. We became cheap slaves to the British government and thus they ruled us for many years.

Later on, some eminent personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Bhagat Singh and many more realized that we should fight for our rights. Later on, many freedom struggles took place and everybody participated in it. After years of fight, struggles, and hard work we finally gained freedom on 15 th August 1947 and became a free and independent nation.

Get the Huge list of 100+ Speech Topics here

Value of Independence

Being independent means freedom to speech and freedom to fundamental rights to each and every citizen of the country. Independence is important to lead a life of freedom. In the absence of independence, we would become a slave.  All the people should value the independence which we have achieved and should never forget our freedom fighters.

Independence and Responsibility of Citizens

The citizens of an independent nation also hold responsibility towards it. All the citizens of the country should realize their responsibility to build a nation of pride. One should fulfill their responsibility by doing simple deeds such as keeping the roads and surroundings clean, plant more trees, help poor people in need, following traffic rules, etc. A responsible citizen is a valuable citizen.

Activities  on Independence Day

Independence Day is also a day to show to the world the history of courage and bravery which our country has achieved. On this day our security forces do the parade and march past on red fort, we also show our fighting equipment to the world thus making India a superpower on the global platform. Various schools and colleges also arrange many no.of dance competitions, fancy dress, cultural events to celebrate independence day.

The independence which we have received is the result of fights and sacrifices of our freedom fighters. We should never forget this. Patriotism is above everything and we should inculcate a feeling of patriotism in our children since early childhood.

We should also teach our younger generations to respect our soldiers and also encourage them to have a career in national security. At last, I again wish you all happy independence day and hope together we can build a wonderful nation.

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Independence Day 2023 Speech: Long & Short Speech in English on 15 August Swatantrata Diwas

Speech on independence day 2023: this year marks the 77th  anniversary of the country’s independence. read this article to find some creative samples of short and long speeches for special occasions..

Independence Day Speech 2023: Indian Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 each year to mark the country's freedom from British colonial rule in 1947. It's a momentous occasion filled with patriotic fervour, flag hoisting, cultural events, and speeches by leaders. Citizens come together to remember the sacrifices of freedom fighters and reaffirm their commitment to a united, progressive, and inclusive India.

All kinds of public and private organizations enthusiastically observe Independence Day. Several competitions, including ones for speeches, singing, and dancing, are scheduled for the celebration. Check out the list of independence day speech samples below if you're still looking for ideas.

Independence Day Speech Topics/Ideas

• The Significance of Independence Day: Celebrating Our Journey to Freedom
• Unity in Diversity: How Independence Day Unites Us as a Nation
• Preserving Freedom: The Responsibilities of Citizenship
• From Struggle to Success: Lessons from Our Independence Heroes
• Building a Better Future: The Vision for Our Better India

5 Proven Tips For An Impressive Speech

• Know Your Audience
• Craft a strong opening
• Structure your speech
• Use Stories and Emotions
• Practice and Rehearse

Independence Day 2023: Short Speech

Ladies and gentlemen,

Indian Independence Day is being commemorated today as one of the most important dates in the history of our magnificent country. We celebrate this day with pride as we reflect on the numerous sacrifices made by our ancestors to free our nation from colonial tyranny.

We honour visionary leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, and countless others who led the fight for liberation with unyielding tenacity and bravery on this auspicious day. As we enjoy the priceless gift of independence and sovereignty because of their unceasing labour and sacrifice.

As we hoist the tricolour, we must also pause to consider the ideals and guiding tenets of our independence movement: inclusion, diversity, and unity. To develop a more powerful and affluent India, individuals from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions have come together in our nation as it stands today.

While we celebrate our independence, we must be aware of the difficulties that still lie ahead. We must work to end social inequities, poverty, and illiteracy. Let's join to fight communalism, corruption, and any other forces that jeopardise the peace in our country.

As accountable citizens, let us promise to do everything in our power to advance and build our cherished nation. Let's defend the values of democracy, equality, and justice in remembrance of the sacrifices made by our freedom warriors.

Let's celebrate our freedom on this Independence Day, but let's also keep in mind our obligations and responsibilities to India's future. Together, we can make India a nation that excels internationally and continues to inspire the rest of the globe.

Jai Hind! Happy Independence Day!

Good morning to all of you, including the vice president, instructors, principal, and my dear students. To celebrate the 77th anniversary of our country's independence, we have all assembled here. We shall honour all the freedom fighters who dedicated their lives to preserve the nation's freedom on this important occasion.

British sovereignty over India ended on August 15, 1947. All of our fundamental rights were granted to us in our nation, our home. The British were brutal to our ancestors while they were in power. We can't imagine how difficult it must have been for India to live within the British Empire from where we are sitting. To achieve independence, countless millions of sacrifices were made over many years.

Numerous freedom fighters fought for independence throughout their entire lives. We can never forget the sacrifices of Lala Lajpat Rai, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Rani Lakshmibai, Khudiram Bose, Sukhdev Thapar, Vallabhbhai Patel, Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Ram Prasad Bismil, Udham Singh, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and many more who lost their lives just fighting for a better future.

We are incredibly grateful that our forebears battled to free us from British rule. They have contributed to our tremendous growth in the areas of technology, education, sports, and finance. With participation in competitions like the Asian, Commonwealth, and Olympic Games, the Indians are making progress. 

On this significant day, it is now our responsibility to maintain the nation's honour, promote the nation, and enhance the nation. I wish everyone a Happy Independence Day and good luck for the future. 

Thank You and Happy Independence Day to all of you!

Good Morning to all dignitaries and fellow mates who are present here. 

On the eve of Independence Day, we honour the bravery and sacrifices of our Indian freedom heroes. When India became independent, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, raised the tricolour flag at Delhi's Red Fort and Lahori Gate. This day has been observed as a separate holiday ever since. Numerous programs are dedicated in honour of the solemn occasion of the day during our Indian warriors' Red Fort-like march past, and schoolchildren fire 21 gunshots to signal the start of events and cultural performances. The Independence Day celebration also includes kite flying, which fills the sky with a variety of kites in all sizes, shapes, and colours. Later, starting in 1974, all of the various chief ministers unfurl the national flag.

The anniversary of the division of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan is another contemporary relevance of Independence Day. We are known for having the biggest democracy in the world. The UK Parliament approved the Indian Independence Act of 1947 on this day, granting the Indian country legislative authority.

Hope my words are enough to elate your happiness and patriotism. Happy Independence Day!

77th Independence Day 2023: Long Speech

Respected dignitaries, esteemed teachers, dear fellow students, and fellow citizens,

Today, as we gather here to commemorate the 76th Indian Independence Day, our hearts swell with pride and gratitude for the countless brave souls who fought relentlessly to liberate our beloved motherland from the clutches of British colonial rule.

The end of foreign rule and the start of a new era in Indian history are both marked by this day. It stands for the triumph of bravery, teamwork, and the tenacious spirit of the Indian people. Our fight for independence was more than just a political movement; it was a battle for our right to self-determination, fairness, and human decency.

We respectfully recall the inspirational leaders who guided us on this difficult road. The way of non-violence and civil disobedience, which became the pillar of our struggle, was demonstrated to us by Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our country. Our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, laid the groundwork for the development of our country by envisioning a modern, forward-thinking India.

The key to realising our country's potential is education. Let's work to ensure that every child, regardless of circumstance, has access to an education. Not only is knowledge liberating, but it also lays the groundwork for a successful future.

Rural development must be given top priority in order to provide residents with access to necessities like clean water, healthcare, and sanitary facilities. By empowering our villages, we can achieve sustainable, balanced growth that benefits all of our citizens.

One of our biggest assets is our variety. Let's celebrate our variety and embrace our rich cultural heritage on this Independence Day. Together, we are stronger, and India stands out on the international stage because of its variety.

Lastly, let us never forget how difficult and costly it was to achieve our independence. As proud Indians, it is our responsibility to uphold the democratic, secular, and socially just ideals that our forefathers envisioned. Let's promise to be law-abiding, caring, and environmentally conscientious citizens who help our amazing country flourish and prosper.

Also Check - Independence Day 2023 History Quiz

Good Morning to one and all present here! We are here on this 77th Independence Day to educate the next generation about colonial rule, our proud liberation fighters, and their courage. On this day, we put aside our cultural differences and came together as true Indians. Young people need to be aware because they have the power to alter their country and the future of the country rests on them. Therefore, it is our responsibility to serve the country and work as hard as we can to improve society.

Nationalism and patriotism are present across the nation as a result of this day's commemoration. On this day, we also sense our pride and solidarity in the nation's diversity. India is a nation of people who practise several religions alongside one another, and a diversified society with a rich culture and heritage applauds this wonderful occasion with tremendous enthusiasm. We are happy, and it gives us greater motivation to defend our motherland against any assault on its sovereignty and integrity.

We the people can't miss taking some prominent freedom fighters without whom the dream of our independence was not possible including Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Moulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Sukhdev, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Chandra Shekhar Azad, etc. Because of his sacrifice and labour, our nation is free from British rule. This is the day when every individual pays tribute to our freedom fighters and leaders.

Independence Day is celebrated differently around the world, but its value is universal. It serves as both a poignant reminder of the difficulties and sacrifices made in pursuit of freedom as well as a celebration of the advancements gained over the years. Therefore, remember to carry out your responsibilities to the country.

Happy Independence Day 2023!

Also Read - Independence Day 2023 Slogans and Captions

On this Indian Independence Day, team Jagran Josh for a nation that continues to prosper and grow, upholding its diversity and unity. May the spirit of freedom inspire us to work towards a more inclusive and harmonious society. Let's honour the sacrifices of our heroes by contributing to India's progress and well-being. Happy Independence Day! Jai Hind!

Get here current GK and GK quiz questions in English and Hindi for India , World, Sports and Competitive exam preparation. Download the Jagran Josh Current Affairs App .

• Which Independence is in 2023? + 77th Independence Day will be celebrated in 2023.
• Which topic is best for speech on Independence Day? + The topic for Independence Day speech can be, 'Indian and its People', Indian Freedom Struggle, India the nation of Unity in Diversity and more.
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Tryst with Destiny – Speech on 15 August 1947 by Nehru

On the eve of 15 th August 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, gave a famous speech addressed to the Indian Constituent Assembly and the pupils of the country. The speech was delivered in the intervening night of 14 th and 15 th August 1947 and is by far the most impressive speeches of the 20 th century.

In his speech Pt. Nehru spoke about the responsibility of a united and progressive nation, bestowed on the Constituent Assembly. He spoke that instead of resting it is the time for us to move and build the nation, which our great freedom fighters and leaders had aspired.

Speech on 15 August 1947 by Nehru

“Tryst with Destiny” was the title of the speech given on the midnight of 15 th August 1947 by the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru just after the independence of country. He had given speech to the Indian Constituent Assembly in The Parliament in the midnight. The speech given by him is one of the greatest speeches of all times focusing on the history of India and non-violent Indian independence struggle for getting freedom from the British Empire in India.

He gave a message to the nation first time through his speech after independence of the country. His speech was so much inspirational encouraging the mass people of India for the upliftment and development. The aim of his speech was to motivate Indian people in order to build a new and developed India through their hard work, zeal and enthusiasm. His message was to fight and remove all the social evils of the country such as illiteracy, ignorance, poverty, poor health conditions, etc to lead country towards the development.

His speech was to urge Indian people to actively participate in the nation-building process. Through his speech he had also emphasized the concept of equality among the Indian citizens. He paid homage to the Mother India and took pledge to save her in every condition in the future from the rivals. He also made a call to all the Indian citizens to show their togetherness and interest to all the services of Motherland. Following is the exact speech given by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on 15 th of August 1947 in the midnight:

Jawaharlal Nehru’s Speech to the Nation on the Independence Day

Tryst with destiny.

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.

It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity with some pride.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries which are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortunes alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortunes and India discovers herself again.

The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?

Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.

That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we might fulfill the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity.

The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.

And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for anyone of them to imagine that it can live apart.

Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this one world that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.

To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell.

The appointed day has come – the day appointed by destiny – and India stands forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning point is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act and others will write about.

It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the east, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materialises. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed!

We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrow-stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people.

On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the father of our nation, who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us.

We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.

Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death.

We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good and ill fortune alike.

The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be.

We are citizens of a great country, on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.

To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy.

And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay our reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service. Jai Hind.”

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75th Independence Day English Speech Ideas, quotes from famous leaders

Updated Aug 12, 2022, 09:53 IST

75th Independence Day

Independence Day English Speech Ideas

75th independence day english speech quotes from famous leaders and more.

• One Individual may die for an idea, but that idea will, after his death, incarnate itself in a thousand lives. – Subhas Chandra Bose
• Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all days of your life. – Bob Marley
• Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes. – Mahatma Gandhi
• Freedom is never given, it is won. A Philip Randolph
• Who Lives if India dies? – Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

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Jul 4, 2019

Independence Day Bill Pullman Speech Transcript: Great Movie Transcripts

Today at Rev on the 4th of July we’d like to honor one of the greatest fake presidents of all time, who gave one of the greatest fake presidential speeches of all time, on the greatest fake Independence Day of all time. Happy 4th of July Bill Pullman, aka President Thomas J. Whitmore!

President Whitmore: ( 00:00 ) Good morning. Good morning. In less than an hour aircrafts from here will join others from around the world and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind.

President Whitmore: ( 00:22 ) Mankind, that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it’s fate that today is the 4th of July and you will once again be fighting for our freedom not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution but from annihilation.

President Whitmore: ( 00:56 ) We’re fighting for our right to live, to exist, and should we win today the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday but as the day when the world declared in one voice,

President Whitmore: ( 01:14 ) “We will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight. We’re going to live on. We’re going to survive. Today we celebrate our Independence Day!”

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• Speech Writing /

Speech on the Journey of Independence Day for School Students

• Updated on  
• Jan 15, 2024

The Journey of Independence Day Speech: India’s path to freedom was not easy. The country gained independence because of our freedom fighters who exhibited immense courage and determination. This journey began somewhere around the 1800’s and ended in 1947. From the 1st war of Independence in 1857 to the Quit India Movement in 1942, India lost many lives to achieve freedom. 

Thereafter, with the conclusion of the Quit India Movement in 1945 and the implementation of the Lord Mountbatten Plan on 3 June 1947, India achieved its independence on 15 August 1947. 

Also Read: Essay On Kalpana Chawla In 500 Words

Speech on the Journey of Independence Day

Hello everyone, and I welcome you all to an independent and warm sunshine. Today, we are all gathered here to celebrate India’s journey til 15 August 1947. This journey is a celebration of the human spirit and the power of hope. This journey of independence begins with a desire for freedom that later burns in the hearts of our forefathers, who dared to dream of and achieve as a sovereign nation.

India’s quest for independence started with the Revolt of 1857 which is considered as the 1st War of Independence. The revolt was fueled by the discontent among Indian soldiers in the British East India Company’s army. Mangal Pandey, an Indian soldier ignited the spark in the army and made a courageous attempt to reclaim our rights and dignity. Later on, General Bakht Khan (Delhi), Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow), Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Nana Saheb (Kanpur), Kunwar Singh (Bihar) and many more joined the revolt. Though we did not succeed, the seed of resistance was sown into the hearts of people and helped pave the way for future struggles.  

The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was another landmark moment in the history of India’s journey to Independence Day. As a landmark moment, the pact showcased the unity among Hindus and Muslims against British rule. Indian leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Muhammad Ali Jinnah worked together for constitutional reforms. Moreover, this pact helped lay the foundation for a united front against colonial oppression.

Also, the massacre of Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 can never be forgotten in India’s journey to independence. The merciless act of General Dyer claimed hundreds of innocent lives. This ruthless act sparked outrage in our people who wanted to break the chains of colonialism.

This chain of revolutions in the journey of independence started scaring the British. Another landmark event in the freedom struggle was the Mahatma Gandhi-led Non-Cooperation Movement. In this movement, he urged his fellow Indians to boycott British goods and institutions. The mass protest was successful and saw millions of people participating in the movement. The mass participation highlighted not only the unity but also reflected the yearning for freedom among the Indian population. 

Later on, the Quit India Movement on August 8, 1942, saw a huge crowd rallying behind Mahatma Gandhi with a call for an immediate end to British rule. During this uprising, famous freedom fighter leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Chakravarti Rajgopalachari, and others were imprisoned. But as it is said, the torch of freedom never extinguished, and the spirit of resistance remained unbroken.

After years of struggles by freedom fighters, India saw a bittersweet moment in the history of freedom on August 14 and 15, 1947, which marked the end of colonial rule and also led to the creation of India and Pakistan as two separate nations. As India celebrated its freedom on 15 August 1947, the country faced communal tensions, mass migration, and the division of properties and financial assets. 

As a student, we should never forget the struggles and sacrifices made by the freedom fighters of India. To make the journey of Independence more memorable and meaningful, all these incidents can be included in the curriculum of the syllabus students so that they can know more about them comprehensively. Also, students can depict scenes of freedom struggle through various activities, such as dramas, skits, dance, and songs.  

In conclusion, the journey to independence has shown the world that our country is a land of sacrifice, dedication, and the value of honor. The struggles and fights will inspire future generations to celebrate the freedom that was hard fought. Though we enjoy and celebrate Independence with pomp and show, the journey was still more memorable than one might think.

Also Read: NCERT Class 8 Making of National Movement Notes

10 Lines on Speech on the Journey of Independence Day 

Here are simple 10 lines that you can include in your Speech on the Journey of Independence Day:

1. Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 every year magnificently.

2. The colonized rule of Britishers not only tortured the people of India but also took every right that was required of every human.

3. The year 1857 blew the trumpet of independence with the revolt in India.

4. Mangal Pandey, an Indian soldier, ignited the spark in the army and made a courageous attempt to reclaim our rights and dignity in the revolt for independence. Later on, General Bakht Khan (Delhi), Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow), Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi), Nana Saheb (Kanpur), Kunwar Singh (Bihar), and many more.

4. The Lucknow Pact of 1916 was another incredible moment in the history of India’s journey to Independence Day.

5. It has strengthened Hindu-Muslim unity in the national political history of India.

6. The Amritsar massacre, or Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which took place in 1919 filled the people with range.

7. To fuel the journey to independence, Mahatma Gandhi led the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 and urged Indians to boycott British goods and institutions.

8. The Quit India Movement of 1942 to 1945 was the nail in the coffin of British rule. 

9. The struggles and fights will inspire future generations to celebrate the freedom that was hard fought. 

10. Though we enjoy and celebrate Independence with pomp and show, the journey was still more memorable than one might think.

Also Read: Essay on Indian Army in 500+ Words

Ans : To start a speech on Independence Day, greet the present gathered people and fellow people, and then start with an introduction to the history of Independence, the struggles of freedom fighters, and their journey.

Ans: Some of the best slogans for Independence Day are: Violent means will give violent freedom. That would be a menace to the world and to India herself, according to Mahatma Gandhi and If your blood does not rage, then it is water that flows in your veins. For what is the flush of youth if it is not of service to the motherland by Chandra Shekhar Azad?

Ans: The format of the introduction while writing an Independence Day speech can be Hello everyone, and I welcome you all to the independent and warm sunshine. Today, we are all gathered here to celebrate the journey of independence that rises above time and echoes the resilience of a nation. This journey of independence begins with a desire for freedom and later burns in the hearts of our forefathers, who dared to dream of a sovereign nation.

Ans: The Indian Prime Minister delivers a speech on Independence Day to address the nation with his speech to motivate the spirit of independence and keep reminding the people about the struggles as well as the determination of the freedom fighters.

Ans: Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 every year. Many freedom fighters sacrificed their lives, fought courageously, and showed determination to achieve independence. From the colonial rule of Britishers, we emerged as a nation that did not turn down. The Journey of Independence Day believed in the inherent right to self-determination.

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Deepika Joshi

Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with expertise in creating educational and informative content. She has a year of experience writing content for speeches, essays, NCERT, study abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and ananlysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particulary in education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs with related to her field to further expand her expertise. In personal life, she loves creative writing and aspire to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

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Independence Day Speech [15 August]: How to Write a Powerful Speech

• Education , Blog

Independence Day Speech : Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated annually on August 15 in India. It marks the end of British rule in 1947, brought about by the Indian Independence Act of July 18 that year , and the establishment of a free and independent Indian nation.

The day is celebrated with great fanfare across India, with parades, flag-hoisting ceremonies, speeches, and cultural events. It is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of those who fought for India’s independence and to celebrate the freedom and democracy that India enjoys today.

The History of Independence Day

• The history of Independence Day in India can be traced back to the early 20th century when the Indian independence movement began to gain momentum. In 1929, the Indian National Congress (INC), the leading political party in India at the time, declared August 15 as Independence Day.
• The INC’s declaration was met with widespread support across India, and on August 15, 1929 , people across the country celebrated the day as a symbol of their hope for independence.
• The INC continued to celebrate Independence Day every year, and in 1947, their dream finally came true. On August 15, 1947 , India gained independence from Britain, and the day was declared a national holiday.

The Importance of Independence Day

• Independence Day is an important day for India for many reasons. It is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of those who fought for India’s independence and to celebrate the freedom and democracy that India enjoys today.
• Independence Day is also a day to reflect on the progress that India has made since independence and to look forward to the future. It is a day to reaffirm India’s commitment to democracy, secularism, and equality.

The Celebration of Independence Day

• Independence Day is celebrated with great fanfare across India. Parades, flag-hoisting ceremonies, speeches, and cultural events are held in all major cities and towns.
• The prime minister of India gives a speech on Independence Day, and the president of India hoists the national flag at the Red Fort in Delhi.
• Independence Day is also a day for people to come together and celebrate their shared national identity. People of all faiths and backgrounds gather to celebrate India’s independence and reaffirm their commitment to the country’s future.

The Future of Independence Day

• Independence Day is a day that is constantly evolving. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on celebrating the diversity of India on Independence Day.
• There is also a growing emphasis on using Independence Day as a platform to promote social change. However, one thing that will never change is the importance of Independence Day to the people of India.

Independence Day is a day that is full of meaning for the people of India. Independence Day is a day that is constantly evolving, but one thing that will never change is its importance to the people of India.

• Independence Day speeches are a great opportunity to reflect on the history of India’s independence movement and to honor the sacrifices of those who fought for freedom.
• It is important to keep your audience in mind when writing an Independence Day speech. Make sure to use language that they will understand, and to focus on topics that are relevant to them.
• Finally, don’t forget to have fun with your speech! Independence Day is a time to celebrate, so make sure your speech is full of energy and enthusiasm.

Here are some additional tips for writing an Independence Day speech:

• Start by brainstorming a list of topics that you want to cover in your speech.
• Once you have a list of topics, start to organize your thoughts and ideas.
• Write a rough draft of your speech, and then revise it several times.
• Practice your speech in front of a mirror or to a friend or family member.
• Deliver your speech with confidence and enthusiasm.

Independence Day Speech Faqs:

What is independence day.

Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated annually on August 15 in India. It marks the end of British rule in 1947, brought about by the Indian Independence Act of July 18 that year, and the establishment of a free and independent Indian nation.

What are the most important aspects of an Independence Day speech?

The most important aspects of an Independence Day speech are to commemorate the sacrifices of those who fought for India's independence, to celebrate the freedom and democracy that India enjoys today, and to look forward to the future. The speech should also be inspiring and uplifting, and it should leave the audience feeling proud to be Indian.

What are some good topics to cover in an Independence Day speech?

Some good topics to cover in an Independence Day speech include the history of India's independence movement, the sacrifices of the freedom fighters, the progress that India has made since independence, and the challenges that India still faces. The speech could also include a call to action for the audience to work together to build a better future for India.

How can I write an SEO-friendly Independence Day speech?

To write an SEO-friendly Independence Day speech, you should use keywords throughout your speech, but don't overdo it. You should also use transition words to help your speech flow smoothly, and you should keep your paragraphs short and easy to read. You could also use images and videos to break up your text and make your speech more visually appealing.

What are some tips for delivering an Independence Day speech?

Some tips for delivering an Independence Day speech include practicing your speech in front of a mirror or to a friend or family member, arriving early on the day of the speech, and delivering your speech with confidence and enthusiasm. You should also make eye contact with the audience and speak clearly and loudly.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when giving an Independence Day speech?

Some common mistakes to avoid when giving an Independence Day speech include reading your speech from a script, using too many technical terms, and making your speech too long. You should also avoid making any controversial statements or offending any members of the audience.

What are some resources that can help me write an Independence Day speech?

There are several resources that can help you write an Independence Day speech. You can find examples of Independence Day speeches online, or you can consult with a speechwriter or writing coach. You can also find books and articles on the history of India's independence movement, which can provide you with inspiration for your speech.

What are some of the challenges of giving an Independence Day speech?

Some of the challenges of giving an Independence Day speech include speaking in front of a large audience, staying on topic, and delivering your speech clearly and concisely. You may also feel pressure to deliver a perfect speech, which can add to the challenge.

What are some of the rewards of giving an Independence Day speech?

Some of the rewards of giving an Independence Day speech include the opportunity to share your love of India with others, the chance to inspire and uplift the audience, and the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference. You may also receive positive feedback from the audience, which can be very rewarding.

What are some of the future trends in Independence Day speeches?

Some of the future trends in Independence Day speeches include a greater focus on diversity and inclusion, a more interactive format, and greater use of technology. Speeches may also become more personal and reflective, as speakers share their own stories and experiences.

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Thank you much for helping me to prepare on the Independence Day Speech, August 15. I guess using these independence day speech tips helping to write different way to present at my shool.

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Speech on Independence Day for Principal in English in simple and easy words

Table of Contents

Looking forward to prepare an Independence Day Speech for your school on the eve of celebration? But don’t know how to begin? Don’t worry and stop scratching your head as we are here with a solution! We realize the importance of this speech and therefore have come up with different types of speeches addressing the occasion to help serve your purpose. In fact, Independence Day Speech for Principal is also given due importance because a principal being the highest authority is often expected to address the occasion. We also understand the fact that the contents of the principal’s speech have a great influence on the students. What the principal says in his/her speech will be inscribed deep in the psychology of young minds; therefore, every sentence of the speech needs to be carefully crafted and appropriately explained.

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Independence Day Speech for Students | Speech on Independence Day for Teachers | Independence Day Speech for Principal

Long and Short Speech on Independence Day for Principal in English

Here is both short Independence Day Speech for Principal as well as long Independence Day Speech for Principal which are lucidly written to be able to leave an impact on your audience. Every sentence has been carefully written to send a right message to the future generation.

It also makes them familiar with words like patriotism, nationalism and with their true meanings. The speeches are bound to leave the listeners in a state of high gratitude and respect for their motherland and also for those who fought for her independence.

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Independence Day Speech for Principal 1

Warm Greetings to all the teachers, admin staff members and lovely students – I hope this day finds you in the best of spirits!

I have been serving as the principal of this school from past 7 years and in all these years our school has experienced a lot of ups and downs but despite all odds we stand here united with pride for the celebration of Independence Day. It therefore gives me immense pleasure to stand here in front of you all and address the Independence Day Speech. This year’s 15 th August marks the 72 nd Independence Day and it shows we have come a long way since then. After all these years, we still cherish that momentous day when the great freedom fighters of our country won independence after years of struggle.

The hallmark of our identity as Indians is the line that sums up everything, i.e. “Unity in Diversity”. We live in a land of diverse culture, religion and language. There are 18 official languages and approximately 325 spoken languages. We live in harmony with people from different religious backgrounds and all the festivals are celebrated with a great zeal and show.

In fact, in our country people from all religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds are given a warm welcome and hence the saying that goes – atithi devo bhava . While involving in a cross-cultural dialogue, we never forget our own Indian tradition and values and keep them intact. In these last 71 years, our country has emerged as one of the largest democracy in the world. So far, we as a nation have proved our mettle in the sphere of space technology, telecom industry as well as green revolution. At present, we are working towards becoming one of the strong IT hubs.

Even though many years have passed since we gained independence, please let us not forget the sacrifices of our leaders made to free their motherland. Besides, it is equally important to remember the foundation on which the Indian freedom struggle was based, i.e. non-violence movement. This concept has been taught to us by the great spiritual guru called Mahatma Gandhi or what we often address him as Bapu. The most significant aspect of our freedom is that it was won assertively and not through any aggressive practices. Today, we are still known as a nation which is an unruffled amalgamation of diverse values and cultures.

On the flip side, we have also suffered some serious setbacks, such as poverty, corruption and discrimination on various grounds, such as caste, class and gender which have created various fissures thereby preventing our country to be counted in the list of developed nations. However, we are also trying to get to the root cause and eradicate these social evils from our society. There are many self-help groups as well as NGOs running in different fields so as to root out these social evils and help the underprivileged section of our society to come to the fore and get the requisite exposure. This is a big step towards ensuring our nation’s all round development.

So let’s cheers for all the best things that have happened to our country while also concentrating on the areas where we are lacking as a nation and try to better ourselves.

This is all I have to say, thank you for being such a patient listener!

Independence Day Speech for Principal 2

Warm Greetings of the day to all! I, the principal of this college, warmly welcome everyone, i.e. the vice principal, teachers, admin staff and of course our dear students on the eve of Independence Day.

Every year, it’s our teachers as well as students who put in all their efforts to make Independence Day celebration memorable for all. And like always I am delighted even today to look at the arrangements and preparations done by them within a limited period of time. All this really deserves appreciation and a big round of applause.

But before we begin with the celebration part, I would like to say a few words on this auspicious day. Students, I want to firstly ask what freedom means to you in the true sense of the term. Does it simply entail doing what you want to do and having the utmost freedom to remain as a free creature? If this is what it entails for you, then let me tell you that you are living in a bubble of illusion because with independence comes a lot of responsibilities too. Freedom without responsibilities simply leads to chaos and then it only harbors destruction. I hope we do not want chaos in our lives and society at large. It therefore becomes extremely crucial to realize our roles and responsibilities as a citizen of our country only then we can make our place much more beautiful and live a life worth living.

This year’s Independence Day, i.e. of 2018 marks the 72 nd year of our independence. All these years were not easy for us because when Britishers left us, they left us completely hollow. We were completely ripped off our wealth and riches. So not only the freedom struggle was an embroiling phase in our lives, but when we won back our freedom, our nation had no foundation to firmly stand itself on. Everything had to be done right from the scratch whether it was creating the constitutional framework of our nation or framing the rights and laws for the citizens of its country. But slowly and gradually we recovered from that phase and again emerged triumphant.

Now we are counted amongst the list of world’s biggest democratic nations where the rights of its citizens are not compromised with and every citizen has the right to voice his/her opinions and do everything without harming the interests of others. There is still a long way to go. Our nation is still a developing nation and not a developed nation. It’s you, the youth of our country, who will bring favorable changes in our country and take it to new heights of growth of prosperity.

A lot needs to be done and there are several grave areas which require our attention. You are the leaders of tomorrow, some of you will become doctors, some engineers, some teachers and what not – but always remember one thing, i.e. to never compromise with your work principles and govern your life as an honest, responsible citizen of our country. It will then really be the dawn of your actual freedom.

This is all from my side. Thank you for being such a patient listener!

Independence Day Speech for Principal 3

Greetings of the Day everyone and welcome to the Independence Day celebration in our school!

On this propitious day, I – Dr. Meenakshi Khaneja – the principal of this school would want to extend special thanks to our hon’ble chief guests and the parents of our students for their warm presence and joining us in the celebration. But before we kick start the celebration, please allow me to say a few words to address the occasion.

Students, I want you to know that this freedom is hard won by our great freedom fighters when they had not only shed their blood, but also sacrificed their lives and family. So we should value this freedom to the utmost and never take it for granted. We celebrate this day because it was a historic moment for all the Indians, but amidst all this celebration there is something that ought to be done first and foremost, i.e. paying homage to our great freedom fighters, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dadabhai Naoroji, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Lala Lajpat Rai, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, including a lot more.

These were illustrious personalities who were known for their great sense of fortitude, perseverance, patience, courage and what not. It is on the basis of their sheer mental strength that they could withstand the stormy time period of our Independence Day struggle. If we weren’t blessed with such great personalities, winning back our country’s freedom would have been a far cry for sure. They experienced humiliation, physical as well as mental torture at the hands of the Britishers, but still they did not buzz and continued to oppose both the foreign British policy as well as their rule.

Thus, it is extremely important to not overlook the struggling period of those times which our predecessors had to put up with and rather value this freedom and think critically in what way we can make the best use of this freedom and make our country proud globally. We should consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have been born in the free, independent nation when we can give wings to our imagination and all our desires; when we are not subjugated to the despotic, tyrannical rule of the Britishers.

However, we have responsibilities to shoulder and further work for the betterment of our nation. We are still in a progressive stage and are not counted amongst the category of developed nations. So we have a far way to go and let us vow to not let go waste the sacrifices of our forefathers. We have to realize the dreams of our forefathers of making India a developed nation which is free from corruption and all the social evils. Let us cultivate a vision for our motherland and works towards realizing that vision where everyone have equal opportunities; where our women can feel safe and where no child is deprived of at least basic education.

Let us work towards a better tomorrow; this is all I have to say.

Thank you so much everyone!

Independence Day Speech for Principal 4

Good Morning to one and all and I wish a very happy Independence Day to everyone!

I, Dr. Promila Sharma – the principal of this school, feel extremely elated to welcome everyone again to yet another Independence Day celebration in our school. This is always so exciting to come together and celebrate the historic day with a feeling of patriotism and a sense of oneness.

We hoist our national flag and sing national anthem with great pride. The whole environment becomes so electrifying that we do not get over this feeling for days and days. Our prime minister too hoists our national flag at the Red Fort and addresses all of us discussing his impending plans and what all he is looking forward to achieve for the nation along with his party members. These plans give us a picture of how we want to see our country in the days to come and in what ways we can effectively contribute towards the growth and development of our nation.

And today we have come together to celebrate the 72 nd Independence Day of our country. We should never forget that momentous night of 14 th August 1947 when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru stood up to deliver the maiden speech in the city of New Delhi. His words were so stirring that they still never fail to leave an impact, i.e. “When the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom”. India became free from the chains of slavery and rose as an independent nation. On the top of it, our country is acknowledged as one of the world’s biggest democratic country. The strength of our country lies in “Unity in Diversity” which means people from different social, religious as well as cultural background live in peaceful co-existence.

Besides, today is the time to pay homage to the memory of our great freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives to free India from the bondage of slavery and to see it grow and prosper. Who doesn’t know Dr. B.R. Ambedkar? He was the one who gave India the longest written constitution; then there was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who worked towards making India an industrialized nation. The world renowned Mahatma Gandhiji taught us the path of non-violence or ahinsa. The person who instilled courage in us was Subhash Chandra Bose. Then there was the great spiritual guru called Swami Vivekananda.

Our erstwhile President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, addressed the children of India and urged them to dream big and build a strong nation with great perseverance. These are not merely words, but heartfelt emotions that connect with the heart of millions of people.

In the end, I would like to conclude my speech by saying that we do not have to necessarily think or act big to prove our love for our nation, but it is by taking such small steps as keeping our surroundings clean, giving our support to the Indian brands so that our country’s economy can get better, contributing towards the education of impoverished children, etc., we can change the face of our country for good and make it stand out in the global arena.

This is all I have to say, thank you so much!

Related Information:

Independence Day Speech for Students

Independence Day Speech by Nehru

Speech on Independence Day for Teachers

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Short speech on Independence day in English - 10 lines speech on Independence day in English

Today, we are sharing short speech on Independence day . This article can help the students who are looking for information about Independence day in English . This short speech is very simple and easy to remember. The level of this essay is moderate so any students can give speech on this topic. This article is generally useful for class 1, class 2, and class 3 .

Short speech on Independence day in English

• Good morning to all the respected teachers and my dear friends.
• I wish you all a very Happy Independence Day.
• My name is Rahul Sharma and I study in class 3.
• Today is 15th August and this day is very important for all of us.
• Because on this day, on 15 August 1947, our country was freed from British rule.
• The sacrifice of many people is hidden behind the independence of our country.
• We respect those sacrifices.
• We have got this freedom from the tireless efforts of freedom-fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Chandrashekhar Azad, Rajguru, Bhagat Singh, Ashfaq Ulla Khan, Abul Kalam Azad.
• These great personalities will always be in our hearts.
• So that's why I end my words, Jai Hind Jai Bharat Thank you.

Watch video about short speech on Independence day

Children in school, are often asked to give short speech about Independence day in English . We help the students to do their homework in an effective way. If you liked this article, then please comment below and tell us how you liked it. We use your comments to further improve our service. We hope you have got some learning on the above subject. You can also visit my YouTube channel that is https://www.youtube.com/synctechlearn. You can also follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/synctechlearn .

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Local election results: Khan likely to cling on to London mayoralty - as West Midlands on a knife-edge

Both main parties now think Sadiq Khan has won a narrow victory in the London mayoral race, despite "wild rumours". Andy Street is also likely to hang on to the West Midlands mayoralty, despite Tory defeats across the country. Follow results and reaction live.

Saturday 4 May 2024 07:26, UK

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• Labour and Tories now think Sadiq Khan to win narrowly in London - amid 'wild' rumours
• Party fears result will be 'very close'
• Labour wins mayoralty in PM's own backyard
• Starmer hails Labour wins - but admits Gaza cost him votes
• Vote 2024: Council results in full  | Mayoral results as they happen  | Labour will fail to gain overall majority based on council election results - projection
• Live reporting by  Ben Bloch

If you're just catching up after a flurry of results yesterday, our political correspondent Serena Barker-Singh can get you up to speed in just one a minute.

After a flood of local elections results through the day yesterday, we are expecting some key races to be declared later today.

Mayoralties

Counting will start in the London mayoral race at 9am - and is expected to take until the evening for a final result.

The West Midlands contest will also be declared this afternoon - we are expecting the result around 2pm.

We will also get results from:

• Liverpool City Region around midday;
• South Yorkshire around 1pm;
• Greater Manchester around 2pm;
• West Yorkshire around 3.30pm;
• Salford around 7pm.

London Assembly

We will get results from fourteen London constituencies.

There will also be the results from the London-wide top-up list that will elect another 11 assembly members.

These are expected to be declared throughout the day, and we'll bring you those as we get them.

Results in four council races are expected to be declared today:

• North Tyneside;
• Warrington;
• Epping Forest (most ward results have already been announced).

A further eight police and crime commissioners will also be revealed. 

The Conservative Party has suffered its worst electoral defeat in years, losing more than half of its councillors who stood for re-election across England.

Labour hailed a "truly historic" result in Rishi Sunak's own backyard of York and North Yorkshire, where David Skaith smashed Tory Keane Duncan by almost 15,000 votes.

The region, which was electing a mayor for the first time, covers Mr Sunak's Richmond constituency and is an area Labour has historically struggled to compete in.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, renewed his demand that the prime minister call a general election.

The party also had successes in the North East and East Midlands mayoral votes and in the Blackpool by-election.

There was a sliver of hope for the government, with Lord Ben Houtchen holding on to his role as the mayor of Tees Valley.

This victory is likely to have quelled talk of rebellion among disenchanted Tory MPs who had threatened to oust the prime minister if the results proved a disaster, but it remains to be seen whether the Tories can hold on to the West Midlands mayoralty.

Labour's Sadiq Khan is also attempting to secure re-election in London.

Read the full story of the local elections so far here:

Good morning!

Welcome back to the Politics Hub and our coverage of the 2024 local elections results.

It is the second day when we are expecting key races to be declared after Conservative support cratered across the country.

All eyes today are on the mayoral races - most notably in London and the West Midlands , both of which appear to be on a knife-edge.

Here is what you need to know for the day ahead:

• After some rumours of a potential defeat by Tory candidate Susan Hall yesterday, incumbent Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan is thought to be on track to retain his post for a third term - but it could be very close;
• Counting will get under way at 9am, and we are expecting the result later tonight , and we'll bring you updates here as the counting progresses;
• The race to be the next mayor of the West Midlands is also thought to be on a knife-edge, with incumbent Conservative mayor Andy Street fighting for a third term against Labour's Richard Parker ;
• It is thought that Mr Street has just about done enough to keep his job for another four years, but it is also likely to be close - we're expecting that result around 2pm ;
• We will also get results from mayoral races in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire and Salford;
• The London Assembly results will be declared throughout the day, as well as four more councils and eight police and crime commissioner roles, with results expected through the afternoon from around noon;
• We're expecting to hear from the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer , at some point today, and PM Rishi Sunak is likely to be out and about as well, so we'll bring you their comments as they come in;
• And we'll bring you all the reaction and analysis to the results throughout the day.

We'll be discussing all of this and more with:

• Ellie Reeves , Labour's deputy campaign coordinator, at 7.10am ;
• Andrew Griffith , science minister, at 8.15am .

Follow along for live coverage throughout the day of the local elections results, the fallout, and analysis from our experts.

The final election result for today has been declared - but there will be more to come on Saturday. 

Seven mayoral contests will be announced: London, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire and Salford.

Fourteen London constituencies will also be announced, along with the London-wide top-up list that will elect another 11 assembly members.

Plus, four councils should be declared - North Tyneside, Stroud, Warrington and Epping Forest, where most of the results have already been announced.

A further eight police and crime commissioners will be revealed. 

Over the course of last night and today, Labour has gained nine police and crime commissioner (PCC) posts from the Conservatives. 

The party also held five posts, with another 10 to be declared over the weekend.

This means Labour holds 14 PCCs and the Conservatives 12, while Plaid Cymru has retained Dyfed-Powys.

While these elections get much less attention than those for mayors, councils and the London Assembly, they could be significant as they include many of the shires that traditionally lean towards the Conservatives.

We went into this set of local and mayoral elections with two big questions: Is Labour on course for a majority and how bad is it going to be for Rishi Sunak?

On the Sunak question, it's a very clear-cut story.

The Tories are having as bad a night as their worst nightmare.

There is a 19-point drop in the Conservative vote compared with the 2019 general election - one of its worst performances ever.

But it's not an all-out win for Labour, either.

Read more from our political editor Beth Rigby below...

The council is now under no overall control, with the Liberal Democrats, Labour and independents making gains. 

The Tories had held Gloucester for 20 years.

Boundary changes in the area have helped the Liberal Democrats and meant all seats were up for election this year.

It's been a bruising day for the Conservatives as the party looks on track for its worst local election result ever.

Labour has taken control of a string of Leave-voting councils, secured victory in the mayoral election in Rishi Sunak's back yard and won the Blackpool South by-election.

Our economics and data editor Ed Conway picks out the example of Rushmoor - a typically Tory-voting council which Labour has taken control of for the first time - as an example of a significant Labour win.

"Even in the late Tony Blair period... the Labour share was always low and it's just climbed up in the last few elections," he says.

"We're seeing here unprecedented results, that's underlining the national swing."

Despite Labour's success, however, there are "other stories going on", Ed notes, with the party's vote in areas with larger Muslim areas falling, potentially as a result of its stance on Gaza.

It's a huge moment for the Lib Dems as they gain Dorset Council from the Conservatives.

The party took 13 seats from the Tories to secure an overall count of 42.

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