Describe Old Major's speech in Animal Farm. What significance does it have?

makes his speech
to the other animals in Chapter One of . To begin, his speech is inspired
by two facts: firstly, Old Major thinks that he does not have long left to live and, therefore,
wishes to pass on his knowledge and wisdom. Secondly, he has had a strange dream which he would
like to share with the animals.

Old Major goes on to explain to the animals
that their life is "miserable" and "short" because Man, the only animal who
"consumes without producing," has made it that way. Man is tyrannical, cruel and
self-interested: he does not care about the animals on his farm, only about taking the fruits of
their labor. As such, Old Major believes that the only possible solution is for the animals to
overthrow Man. This idea is linked to his dream, in which Man had vanished and the world was
very different. It also reminds him of a song that his mother used to sing to him called
"Beasts of England," which Old Major teaches to the others.

Old
Major's speech is significant because it plants the idea of rebellion in the minds of the other
animals. For the first time, they start to see Man as the true enemy and themselves as the
victims of real oppression. As such, the speech is both educational and
inspiring.