Historical documents indicate that public speaking was an activity and object of study in the ancient Grecian city-states and the Roman Empire. However, public speaking has probably been a part of all civilizations since very early times. Public speaking often centered on political issues.

In The Rhetoric, Aristotle detailed information on effective persuasive speaking. He identified ethos, pathos, and logos as three methods a speaker uses to persuade. Ethos refers to a speaker's credibility, pathos to a speaker's emotional appeals, and logos to a speaker's logical appeals. Aristotle's Rhetoric has had a strong and lasting influence on speaking in Western civilizations throughout history. The teachings of Ptah-hotep in pre-modern Egypt and Africa (2500 B.C.) emphasize the importance of a speaker's demeanor and known character.

Most speeches recorded throughout history have been political speeches. Until recent history, women and minorities had limited access to the political arena. The McGraw-Hill supplement, The Heritage of Rhetorical Theory, by J. Michael Sproule, chronicles the evolution of public speaking in different times and cultures.

Text of numerous historical speeches can be found online. The resources section identifies repositories of important speeches. Several collections focus on specific groups or topics, such as inaugural addresses, speeches by women, or multicultural issues. More recent speeches are often available with video and audio clips. Older speeches are limited to text.

Public Speaking Careers

Making a Difference:Speaking Past and Present

Speech Preparation Online booklets for electronic research and documentation. Giving Your First Speech, Rhetorical Theory, and Presentation Graphics. Free Speech 'Congress Shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...' Read More about Freedom of Speech. Types of Speech Learn more about Informative and Persuasive Speeches. Speech Archives Historical and modern speeches	PowerPoint Tips and information on this commonly used presentation application. Today in History A day in History Humor/Quotations Humor and quotes to help your speech - or just for your own enjoyment. History / Careers The history of public speaking and potential career options for you.