4.11.06

Decoding Presidential Speeches

Got this from Nate Knows Nada. 360 U.S. presidential speeches from 1776-2006 got put through a tag generator and so you can visually see how often words were used based on the size of the word. It's remarkable to see the shift in focus between eras and presidents - notably words like:

CONSTITUTION, HOSTILITY, INDIANS, COMMISSIONERS, FREEDOM, OPINION, VESSELS, DEBT, BRITISH, WAR, SPAIN, TREATY, SLAVERY, MEXICO, FRANCE, TAXES, TEXAS, TERRITORY, CALIFORNIA, LABOR, EMANCIPATION, REBELLION, APPROPRIATION, CURRENCY, NATURALIZATION, ELECTION, TREASURY, AGRICULTURE, CUBA, COMMISSION, ISLANDS, CORPORATIONS, PANAMA, INTERSTATE, CONSERVATION, TARIFF, CANAL, CRUISERS, GERMAN, INDUSTRIES, ECONOMIC, COOPERATION, DESTITUTION, UNEMPLOYED, DEMOCRATIC, DICTATOR, JAPANESE, PROSPERITY, STRENGTH, SOVIET, KOREA, COMMUNIST, PROSPERITY, MISSILES, NUCLEAR, CLASSROOMS, EDUCATION, GOD, CRIME, VIETNAM, CHALLENGES, INFLATION, DEFICITS, FAMILY, IRAQ, KUWAIT, WELFARE, CRIME, INVEST, WEAPONS, AFGHANISTAN, TERRORISTS

5 comments:

April said...

Wow, there seems to be a bit of a loop eh?

Sirdar said...

I notice the word Canada wasn't in there. I guess we really are insignificant to the US. Oh well...our new best friends...the Chinese...might talk about us. Just hope it is nice talk.

Anonymous said...

This is great stuff! It's fun moving the slider around seeing what topics were relevant during various periods and if those themes are still talked about today. For example, in the 60s and 70s it was communism, in the Clinton years, freedom and family, the depression talked of the economy, and during the Second World War, it was Nazis and Japan. A very interesting look at the history of the world through the lens of US presidents. Thanks for posting this Zaak!

Anonymous said...

What ever happened to those Indians?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I had to post again. Why doesn't GWB talk more about TRIGINOMETRY instead of TERRORISTS? What a great find.