Essay on The Meaning of the Gettysburg Address - 564 Words

Essay on the Meaning of the Gettysburg Address While the Gettysburg Address is fairly short in length at around 300 words, this famous speech delivered by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1963 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is both enduring and meaningful for all Americans today, almost exactly 146 years later. The first paragraph of his speech sets the tone, in which Lincoln does not directly mention the bloody Battle of Gettysburg, in which 50,000 soldiers lost their lives. Instead, he refers in the opening phrase, â€Å"Four score and seven years ago,† to the founding of America through another important written document, the Declaration of Independence in 1776. I believe Lincoln wanted the country to focus on preserving this†¦show more content†¦I believe he is again focusing on preserving the country and uniting all Americans, North and South, behind the nation and reminding them of our common history. President Lincoln also refers to the dedication of the Battlefield of Gettysburg, emphasizing that this is,† a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.† Clearly, Lincoln wants to remind all citizens that these thousands of casualties were for a great purpose of preserving this country, not dividing it through a Civil War. In the third paragraph, President Lincoln stresses the important point that the words of his speech cannot actually bless or make holy the Battlefield of Gettysburg. Rather, he indicates the bravery of the men, both living and dead, has already made the ground of the battlefield sacred. Again, Lincoln is honoring the actions of all the soldiers, Union and Confederate, and trying to unite the nation instead of dividing it. In the last paragraph of the speech, President Lincoln is telling the American people that the proper way to honor the brave soldiers is to dedicate and devote your life to the country, one which there will be, â€Å"a new birth of freedom.† Lincoln points out this government will represent all the people, and will remain forever. President Lincoln, through this speech is trying heal the nation that is divided by the great Civil War, and offeringShow MoreRelatedMeaning Behind The Gettysburg Address Essay572 Words   |  3 PagesWhile the Gettysburg Address is short in length at around 300 words, this famous speech by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is still both enduring and meaningful for all Americans today, almost exactly 146 years later. The first paragraph of his speech sets the tone, in which Lincoln does not directly mention the bloody Battle of Gettysburg, in which 50,000 soldiers lost their lives. Instead, he refers in the opening phrase, â€Å"Four score and seven yearsRead MoreLincoln And Abraham Lincolns I Have A Dream Speech956 Words   |  4 Pagesthat. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.† Martin Luther King Jr. was an astute abolitionist who performed a vital speech called I Have a Dream. There is another well-known speech just like this one by Abraham Lincoln called The Gettysburg Address. After attentively analyzing, comparing, and contrasting these two fundamental speeches in history, the readers have developed a question: how are these speaker’s perspectives of America comparable? These two intellectuals had similar viewpointsRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Abraham Lincoln s Gettysburg Address981 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Fourscore and seven years ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is the statement in which Abraham Lincoln started â€Å"The Gettysburg Address†.152 years ago, Lincoln delivered this well-known speech in front of an audience who was searching for hel p during a time of war. Some may believe it was not an inspiration why others will say it was. To some Americans, it might have even brought faith. Just like any other work, this essay was composed of a rhetorical situation and rhetorical devices; which can be broken down into specific factorsRead MoreStructure Of The Gettysburg Address899 Words   |  4 Pagesat odds and much blood was shed. The Battle of Gettysburg was particularly gruesome, but none the less a major win for the Union. 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This is the battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg represents a vital turning point during the Civil War because it was the battle with most casualties in the United States, it restored the faith of the Union Army and the confederates never gained back the offensive position resultingRead MoreAbraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address1685 Words   |  7 PagesAbraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address History remembers Abraham Lincoln as one of the greatest leaders. He has made many significant contributions to the history of the United States and is considered one of the greatest presidents. He sacrificed himself for what he believed in, even if it meant starting a war against his own country. He believed in equality for everyone and that all men were created equal. As president he is best remembered for leading the Union through the Civil WarRead MoreAnalysis of The Gettysburg Address Essay1435 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis of The Gettysburg Address In the early days of the United States, loyalty to one’s state often took precedence over loyalty to one’s country. The Union was considered a â€Å"voluntary compact entered into by independent, sovereign states† for as long as it served their purpose to be so joined (Encarta). Neither the North nor South had any strong sense permanence of the Union. As patterns of living diverged between North and South, their political ideas also developed marked differencesRead MoreEssay about The Gettysburg Address and American Revival1729 Words   |  7 PagesThe Gettysburg Address is without a doubt one of the most famous speeches in American history. However, at the time, it was simply an uplifting, motivational speech by the sitting president as part of a ceremony dedicating the Gettysburg Battlefield as a National Cemetery. Now, it is viewed as an historic address delivered by one of the greatest presidents and orators to ever live, Abraham Lincoln. It has also become the benchmark for speeches today and is the subject of many articles, talks,