Question

Read this excerpt from President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address on January 20, 1961:

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Based on the excerpt, what is the central idea of this speech?

Answer 1

to motivate people everywhere to uphold the freedom of humankind.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to a different source, these are the options that come with this question:

• to cultivate a sense of well-being among the American people.
• to motivate people everywhere to uphold the freedom of humankind.
• to motivate Americans to strive for the development of their nation.
• to foster a feeling of happiness and unity across people and nations.

In this text, Kennedy talks about the responsibilities that the current generation has. He tells us that he world is in a dire situation, and that it is important for everyone to do their best to defend freedom all over the world. Moreover, he talks not only to Americans, but also to the "citizens of the world" and asks them to defend the freedom of man. This shows that Kennedy wants to motivate people from all over the world to act towards this goal.