November 19, 1863
On this day in US history, President Abraham Lincoln delivered one of the greatest speeches given by any American president, the Gettysburg Address. President Lincoln delivered the address at the dedication of the Civil War cemetary at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, just months after the historic battle was fought. During the three days of battle (July 1-3, 1863), fought on the 86th anniversary of American independence, both sides suffered a combined total of nearly 51,000 casualties.
Contrary to Lincoln’s assertion that “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here,” the Gettysburg Address remains one of the most exemplary and important speeches in American history, and is worth reading again.
This is dedicated to all those who have given ”the last full measure of devotion.”
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 battlefield 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 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.
For more, please see:
http://www.nps.gov/getc/index.htm
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/gadd/
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- The only known picture of Lincoln at Gettysburg, moments after delivering the address.
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- The Gettysburg Address
Tags: American History
