Women Crusaders for Rights
Text Version

[Visual description – three images of Eleanor Roosevelt]
Let's look at the first portion of Eleanor Roosevelt's speech.

[Visual description – excerpt of speech appears on screen]
After a brief introduction, she introducers her first fact: article 1 of the charter of the United Nations.

She cites this article as an internationally recognized basis for human rights, and also because it supports her opinions in the rest of the speech.

The second fact that Mrs. Roosevelt presents is that people in the United States believe the government should look out for their survival.

Although she is talking about a belief, Mrs. Roosevelt is referring to a belief that resulted from an event – the Great Depression in which many people were out of work, and much wealth was lost. [Visual description – The phrase, “the great depression in which many people were lost,” appears.]

This event and resulting belief is fact.

Many of the other ideas presented in the speech represent Mrs. Roosevelt's opinions that are influenced by her background.

For example, the idea that "people have a right to demand that their government will not allow them to starve because as individuals they cannot find work..." is an idea that many Americans feel is a fact of life.

However, groups, nations and governments of the world may have disagreed.

Therefore, this is an opinion.

Opinions and beliefs are also influenced by personal experience.

[Visual description – images of Eleanor Roosevelt appear]
Mrs. Roosevelt's experiences as first lady, crusader for universal human rights, and experience with government support of people's welfare, influenced her belief.

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A passage in her speech shows that her opinions are influenced by personal experience.

She argues that people should have freedom related to their jobs.

She compares the lack of control over work to a "dictatorial assignment."

[Visual description – images of Eleanor Roosevelt with foreign military leaders]
This passage shows that she was influenced by serving as first lady in a nation that led the charge against dictatorships during World War Two.

She realizes that Americans will be well aware of the lack of freedom in a dictatorship so soon after the war.

[Visual description – excerpt from article appears.]
The words Mrs. Roosevelt uses in the final passage show again how her opinions are influenced by her background.

She discusses "free and honest elections."

As first lady to an elected president in a democratic nation, she is educated in the role of elections in democracy and providing people with a voice in their government.

[Visual description – image of Eleanor Roosevelt visiting wounded soldiers in hospital.]
As you have learned by analyzing the speech, in addition to the facts presented, Mrs. Roosevelt's personal experiences and background as first lady and advocate in the fight for human rights influenced her opinions, which were evidenced in her speech.

[Visual description – images of Eleanor Roosevelt.]