THE GETTYSBURG
ADDRESSED
BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN
PRESIDENT LINCOLN DELIVERED THE 272 WORD
GETTYSBURG ADDRESS ON NOVEMBER 19, 1863 ON THE
BATTLEFIELD NEAR GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.
• "Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in
liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil
war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met
on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting-place
for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we
should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this
ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power
to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget
what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who
fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task
remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they
here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died
in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people,
by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
EXPLANATION:
• The Gettysburg address embodies what our country stands for but also show why
the United States is a great country. Though the struggle of the war was at its
climax Lincoln was able to bring a sense of security to the people of the union. The
beginning of this speech sets the tone for the message Lincoln is trying to convey.
In his address he states “Four score and seven years ago our father brought forth,
upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that “all men are created equal”.” In this infamous quote he is trying to
make the statement that this country is founded on the principle of equality and he
plans to do all he can to make it stay that way. So many people in the country at
that time just wanted the country to come back together on the principles it was
founded on.
• Another point Lincoln tries to make in his address is that you can’t
forget the events that are unfolding throughout the war. He says “ That
we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the
nation shall have a new birth of freedom and that the government by
the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from earth.”
Lincoln is trying to tell the people of the union and the rest of the
divided country that we have to protect the principles that the men on
the battlefield are fighting for, and we can’t let them die in vain. He
also sends a beacon of hope to many people throughout saying that we
are still a country for the people and it will not change.
• To conclude, the Gettysburg Address is one of the most influential
speeches of its time and it is still known around the United States
today. Lincoln was able to convey a message of hope and
determination when it was hard to have either of them. He spoke of the
principle our countries were founded on and why we cannot forget the
importance of each event of the Civil War. The effect of this war still
echoes throughout our everyday lives. This address is able to embody
everything we stand for as a country and it will forever be known as
one of the best speeches given by a president.
THANK YOU! 😁
