On Friday, Jan. 20, the world will turn its attention to America when President-elect Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address as the 45th president of the United States.

  • WHAT: President-elect Donald Trump and VP-elect Mike Pence swearing-in 
  • WHERE: West front of the US Capitol building
  • WHEN: Friday, Jan. 20. Ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m., swearing-in at noon
  • WATCH: Watch the swearing-in live on our TV station Jan. 20, or watch us on our live stream (authentication required). Stay tuned for live updates throughout the day
  • COMPLETE COVERAGE: Schedule of events, photos, quiz, how to attend

It can be a daunting task, crafting a speech that will be delivered to millions. Expectations are always high.

Over the last few decades, there have been several inaugural addresses that included memorable lines, ones that are easily quotable and recognizable.

Here’s a look at some of the most memorable presidential inaugural addresses.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”

One of the most memorable quotes of the 20th Century came from Franklin D. Roosevelt. When he became president the U.S. was in the midst of its worst economic crisis, The Great Depression. During his inaugural addresses, Roosevelt tried to reassure an uncertain nation.

“This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor he met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.”

Watch Roosevelt’s inaugural address below:

John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you”

The election of John F. Kennedy over Richard Nixon played into the idea of a new era in American politics. Kennedy seemed to echo that sentiment in his 1961 inaugural address, which included the line: “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.”  Probably the most famous line from his speech and of all political speeches is, “Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.”

"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."

Watch Kennedy’s inaugural address below:

Ronald Reagan: “Government is not the solution to our problem”

The former governor of California delivered a distinctly conservative inaugural address. In it, Reagan made one of his most famous remarks about the government. For many, the speech marked the beginning of a conservative renaissance.

"The economic ills we suffer have come upon us over several decades. They will not go away in days, weeks, or months, but they will go away. They will go away because we as Americans have the capacity now, as we’ve had in the past, to do whatever needs to be done to preserve this last and greatest bastion of freedom. In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. From time to time we've been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions we seek must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price."

Watch Reagan’s inaugural address below:

Barack Obama: "We have chosen hope over fear"

Obama’s speech is marked for its historical significance (the nation’s first black president) and for its message of sacrifice and renewal.

"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation. But in the words of scripture, ‘the time has come set aside childish things.’ The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit to choose our better history, to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea passed on from generation to generation, the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

Watch Obama’s inaugural address below: