Four Freedoms facts for kids
The Four Freedoms are a very important idea from American president Franklin D. Roosevelt. He first talked about them in a speech on January 6, 1941. This speech is often called the Four Freedoms Speech.
President Roosevelt shared these ideas just eleven months before the U.S. joined World War II. The Four Freedoms became a big part of how America encouraged its people during the war. After Roosevelt died in 1945, his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, worked hard to include these freedoms in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Here are the four freedoms President Roosevelt spoke about:
- The first is freedom of speech and expression. This means everyone should be able to say what they think, anywhere in the world.
- The second is freedom of every person to worship God in their own way. This means people should be free to practice their religion, anywhere in the world.
- The third is freedom from want. This means that all nations should work together to make sure everyone has a healthy and peaceful life. This should happen everywhere in the world.
- The fourth is freedom from fear. This means countries should reduce their weapons so much that no nation can attack another. This should happen everywhere in the world.
Roosevelt believed these freedoms were not just a dream for the future. He saw them as a real way to build a better world in his own time. He said this kind of world was the opposite of the cruel rule that dictators tried to create.
Art and the Four Freedoms
To help more people understand his ideas, President Roosevelt arranged for a special statue to be built. This statue is called the Four Freedoms Monument. It was first shown in New York City in 1943. Later, it was moved to Florida, to the hometown of Colin Kelly, an American hero who died in the war.
In 1943, a famous artist named Norman Rockwell was inspired by the Four Freedoms. He painted a series of four pictures, one for each freedom. The American government then used these paintings to help raise money for the war effort.
Related topics
Images for kids
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Engraving of the Four Freedoms at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.
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Freedom of Speech (February 20, 1943) – from the Four Freedoms series by Norman Rockwell
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Freedom of Worship (February 27, 1943) – from the Four Freedoms series by Norman Rockwell
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Freedom from Want (March 6, 1943) – from the Four Freedoms series by Norman Rockwell
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Freedom from Fear (March 13, 1943) – from the Four Freedoms series by Norman Rockwell
See also
In Spanish: Discurso de las cuatro libertades para niños
