What better way to honor and celebrate the holiday than by critiquing one of the greatest, well-known speeches. Before we begin analyzing The Gettsyburg Address, let’s dive into the history and math to put it into context.
David Wills invited Abraham Lincoln to give this speech as a way to honor and memorialize those who had fallen during the Battle of Gettysburg. Why were Americans fighting? Well, if you recall, November of 1863 was the middle of our nation’s biggest divide.
The Civil War took place in reaction to rising tensions between the north and south in large over slavery and state’s rights. The battle of Gettysburg, in particular, increased northerners’ morale and prevented the south from gaining more momentum. Gettysburg is the bloodiest, singular battle of the Cviil War.
Lincoln didn’t want to ignore the actions and sacrifices the soldiers made by fighting and spoke to commemorate them in what is titled “The Gettysburg Address.”
“But, wait, you mentioned math…” Yes, I did because part of analyzing anything is making sure the language and wording used makes sense and is understood.
We Created a Nation
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.
Abraham Lincoln starts by naming the beginning of America. He does so in a funny (to us) way by saying “Fourscore and seven years ago.” All that means is 87 years(four score- eighty; and seven). He then goes into the goal America wanted to achieve; what we all want to achieve- “All men are created equal.” Historically, although Lincoln spoke of all men, not all men (or women) were equal. Slavery still existed.
Can a Nation Fight and Still Endure?
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.
Next, Lincoln recognizes the current events. That as a nation we were fighting simply put to decide whether we could stay whole or not. He then gives attention to the true reason he is present. He wasn’t invited and didn’t attend the aftermath to speak about the war. Lincoln wanted to give those fallen a true dedication.
Honoring a New Start
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 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.
Lincoln doesn’t take responsibility for his speech as an honor to the soldiers. Instead, he says that the soldiers, themselves, made the land sacred and honorable. Funny, that Lincoln says the world won’t remember what he said. Because his speech is one of the most well-known in our history. Everyone can dictate a line or more from his words.
But, I digress, Lincoln then calls on those who survived to finish the work they started. That the survivors devote themselves to the cause, to the nation. He then calls for the rebirth of freedom. That the nation’s government be of the people, for the people, by the people.
Similar fight now
It is of my opinion, that as emotions rise within the nation, we remember similar ideas. Our nation is divided once again by many varying issues. Don’t let those issues break what this nation was built upon. So today and every day, honor those who fight for this nation by simply enjoying the day. The Fourth of July is a day of honor and remembrance.
