Final answer:
Ceremonial speeches of gratitude are designed to acknowledge others' contributions and reflect on the significance of an honor within various contexts, such as historical moments, personal achievements, or public celebrations.
Step-by-step explanation:
A ceremonial speech expressing gratitude often acknowledges the contributions of others, reflects on the significance of an honor, and may look forward to future achievements. Such speeches frequently occur during significant events, such as graduations, commencements, award ceremonies, or milestone celebrations.
They tend to weave together thanks, recognition of support, and reflection on the journey that led to the current accomplishment. The excerpts provided display different contexts for these speeches, ranging from Abraham Lincoln's modest remarks about his Gettysburg Address to a speaker's well-wishes to a prize winner, as well as a university commencement speech addressing wider societal goals and challenges.
In the case of William Everett's congratulatory letter to Lincoln, we see an example of the lasting impact a brief but powerful address can have. When someone like President Cleveland accepts a statue on behalf of the people, he makes sure to honor the ideals it represents, thus connecting the celebration to a larger narrative.
Jarrett's internal acknowledgment of his personal achievement in obtaining his degree, contrasted with the more shared acknowledgment of his military honors, illustrates the personal nature of some ceremonies.
These examples show the range of contexts and purposes ceremonial speeches of gratitude can serve. They all are woven with a common thread of acknowledging support systems, reflecting on past achievements, and setting a tone for future endeavors, whether personal or communal.