What is the city upon a hill speech about JFK?

In the Jan. 9, 1961, speech Kennedy was quoting Puritan settler John Winthrop, who became governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Winthrop used the phrase “as a city upon a hill” in 1630 as a metaphor for the New World settlement and said the “eyes of all people” would be upon it.

Why did JFK give the City on a Hill speech?

Kennedy gave a speech on January 20,1961. It was meant for the citizens of America. He wanted to ensure the people who voted for him, that they made the right decision. Kennedy spoke of what he envisioned, which included peace, freedom, equality, and unity of the nations.

What is the City on the Hill speech?

John Winthrop delivered the following sermon before he and his fellow settlers reached New England. The sermon is famous largely for its use of the phrase “a city on a hill,” used to describe the expectation that the Massachusetts Bay colony would shine like an example to the world.

What do you think Winthrop means when he says we shall be as a city upon a hill?

Winthrop warned his fellow Puritans that their new community would be “as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us”, meaning, if the Puritans failed to uphold their covenant with God, then their sins and errors would be exposed for all the world to see: “So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in …

When did JFK give his city upon a hill speech?

President-Elect John F. Kennedy delivers to a Joint Convention of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, The State House, Boston, January 9, 1961. Also know as the “City Upon a Hill” speech Audio: WBZ Radio. John F.

Who said city on a hill?

John Winthrop
Anonymous painting of John Winthrop (1587–1649), bequest of William Winthrop, 1830. That 1630 sermon by John Winthrop is now famous mainly for its proclamation that “we shall be as a city upon a hill.” Beginning in the 1970s, Ronald Reagan placed that line, from that sermon, at the center of his political career.

What does a city set on a hill mean?

beacon of hope
A “city on a hill” is a phrase used to refer to America’s supposed standing in the world, as a “beacon of hope” which other nations can look to for moral guidance.

What is Winthrop’s overall message in this sermon?

So Winthrop’s sermon is part pep talk in which he tells his listeners that better times lie ahead. Our goal, he reminds them, is “to improve our lives to do more service to the Lord; [to insure] the comfort and increase of the body of Christ…

Was city upon a hill successful?

The great experiment seemed to be a smashing success for the first few decades. In the end however, worldly concerns led to a decline in religious fervor as the 1600s grew old. John Winthrop penned this view of the ideal life, also known as the “Arbella Covenant,” as he sailed to Massachusetts.

How does the author create ethos or personal credibility in city upon a hill?

Author/ Speaker Kennedy creates personal credibility by saying he is more than fit to lead. He talks about the sixty day period that he constructed administration, and says based on that he will be an acceptable leader. JFK has a great reputation as an american citizen.