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FDR's First Inaugural Address: Introduction (Sentences 1-18) Summary

Fear and Loathing in the U.S.A.

  • FDR starts his speech frankly: the country is in rough shape. A lot of people are out of work, and the economy has ground to a halt. There's no denying this.
  • But he's just as quick to say that America will bounce back in no time and the worst thing to do is panic.
  • After all, compared to the problems of the guys who paved the way (i.e., George Washington and the other wig-wearing Founding Fathers), these current problems are insignificant! Their struggles were against tyranny and oppression; ours deal with wealth and material gain.