On November 19th, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln gave a short speech that would echo throughout all of American History.
The Gettysburg Address was a speech delivered by President Abraham Lincoln as a memorial for the dead and a battle cry for the living after the Union victory at Gettysburg took place, on November 19th, 1863. It was a three day battle, and there were more casualties in the battle than any other battle in the Civil War. So, he felt he needed to give a speech in dedication to the lost soldiers. However, Lincoln actually wasn’t the featured speaker. The man who spoke before him, who was the featured speaker, gave a two hour speech. Lincoln just felt that he needed to give some sort of speech in honor of the ones who fought. Lincoln’s speech was only two minutes long, and was spoken in very common English, with not many complex words or phrases. This simple speech later became to be known as the Gettysburg Address.
The Gettysburg Address is considered to be one of the most famous and best speeches Lincoln ever gave, and is recognized as being one of the most famous and best American speeches of all time. The first line of the speech is so famous and powerful, it’s words you will hear several times throughout your lifetime, and should never forget. President Lincoln reminded everybody why they were fighting. His simple speech in Gettysburg which was only heard live by a few hundred of the thousands gathered was printed so widely that it became a motivating turning point in the battle for Union victory.
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”
-(President Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address).
