The Gettysburg Address

by Abraham Lincoln, Michael McCurdy (Illustrator)

The Gettysburg Address is the most famous speech of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and one of the most quoted speeches in United States history. It was delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, during the American Civil War, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated the Confederates at the decisive Battle of Gettysburg.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Classics, Civil War, American History, Historical

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 1863

About the author

Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States from 1861 and led the country during the Civil War.

Lincoln, a moderate, navigated a contentious array of factions with friends and opponents from the Democratic Party and Republican Party. He exploited mutual enmity of the factions, carefully distributing political patronage, and appealed to the American people.

Lincoln closely supervised the strategy and tactics in the war effort, including the selection of generals, and implemented a naval blockade of the trade. He suspended habeas corpus in Maryland and elsewhere, and averted British intervention by defusing the Trent Affair. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared free all enslaved persons in states "in rebellion against the United States." It also directed the Navy to "recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons" and to receive them "into the armed service." Lincoln promoted the thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery, except as punishment for a crime.

Lincoln managed his own successful re-election campaign and sought to heal the war-torn nation through reconciliation. On April 14, 1865, just five days after the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, he attended a play at theater of Ford in Washington, District of Columbia, with Mary Todd Lincoln, his wife, when Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Boothe fatally assassinated him.

Lincoln is remembered as a martyr and a national hero for for his efforts to preserve the union and abolish slavery. Popular and scholarly polls often rank Lincoln as the greatest president in American history.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma]

I am in DC, where for the first time in decades I stood near the Capitol steps and visited the Lincoln Memorial, where I read this address again as it is engraved on the wall. The first real challenge to the country was the Civil War, and January 6 marks to me the second, though there may in fact have been many more.

Original review:
On this day, November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln, in order to dedicate the Gettysburg National Cemetery, delivered this address.

We all know now that Lincoln was not always opposed to slavery. He had, over time, to come to this position, that all humans should be free, as some are still struggling to acknowledge, apparently. He didn't always think that blacks were "equal" to whites. He was not a saint, he was probably as most whites were in the nineteenth century, racist for a good portion of his life. But he makes a good case here for freedom and equality as a basis for unity.

Here's the whole thing, in what has become known as the "Bliss" version, the one that hangs on the wall of the Lincoln Room in the White House:

"Four score 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 can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not 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."

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863

This is a copy of the actual, handwritten final draft (no, it wasn't written on the back of an envelope, as myth would have it), of several known drafts.

https://depts.washington.edu/particip...

Here's an artist's lithographic rendition of the occasion:

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/en...

[Dan]

“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.”


President Abraham Lincoln’s remarks, delivered on November 19, 1863, outside of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Honoring the fallen military soldiers.

The reminder that our work is not done—that we must continue.

Speaks of our founding as a sovereign country.

Powerful and succinct.


“…A new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

[Manny]

I would like to respond to the unkind and unfair comments that the liberal press have made concerning Mr. Trump's recent speech, which they claim was plagiarized from President Lincoln's immortal words. There is absolutely no truth in these accusations. First, however much one may admire Lincoln, any American is allowed to express patriotic feelings without infringing his copyright. And second, Mr. Trump did not even say the same thing. Mr. Lincoln, as every schoolchild knows, said "government of the people, by the people, and for the people", but Mr. Trump said "government of the people, by the people, and for Mr. Trump".

Vote Trump!

[Tharindu Dissanayake]

"that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth"

Decided to read this a few times, mainly because of the strong reference to this particular speech in 'Lincoln The Unknown' by Dale Carnegie. To set the record straight, the entire speech was there, but I went over this just a few times more hoping to understand what made this one of the greatest speeches of all time.

[Katie]

3/14 - VE / HP 5
3/16-3/17 tisa /ka - 3.5
3/20-3/21 - goac / krr - 3.5
4/6 - twh/cc -3.75
4/18 -cs/kh - 5
5/1 - btat - 4
5/26 tips/kh-2
6/30-7/1 tsb/kh 3
7/8-7/9 - i / kh 3.5

[Mohammad Ali Shamekhi]

لینکلن در این سخنرانی که در محل یکی از نبردهای خونین میان شمال و جنوب - در جنگ داخلی - ارائه شده، به دلاوری های جنگجویان اشاره و بر پیگیری آرمان های آنها - یعنی حکومتی مردمی که در آن همه ی آدمیان در آن ارزشی یکسان داشته باشند - تأکید می کند

[Parmida R. A.]

"Four score 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 can not dedicate–we can not consecrate– we can not 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
The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln
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."
-Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 19, 1863

I am utterly silent after reading this touching speech. I wonder what Lincoln would react to America today. Perhaps, he would turn over in his blessed grave after perceiving that the liberty that was once taken with blood, sweat, and tears is now fading away.

[Hannah Linder]

I had to memorize this in school *frowns*, but even though I was reluctant and complained and fussed...
I can't help admitting that part of me loved it. The words, the sweetly powerful way they were arranged, the flow of the sentences and the love behind those words...it was all so amazing, so beautiful. You can almost feel the love, the passion, behind every comma and every letter and every period.
Abraham Lincoln was a great man. Thank God for men who shaped our country in His grace!

[Nihal]

And that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Gettysburg Address was narrated after the Battle Of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. It was to honour the soldiers who died and sacrificed their lives, from both the Union and the Confederates.

A great speech of a great man, by a great man, for the world.

[Duane Parker]

On November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, the first and featured speaker, Edward Everett, spoke for two hours. Abraham Lincoln then stood and spoke for about two minutes, and with 260 words gave what many consider the greatest speech in American history.

[The Celtic Rebel (Richard)]

I first had to read and memorize this speech while in high school. At that time there was no way I understood the full meaning and importance of this speech. Over the years I have read it many other times and it has come to mean so much more. It is one of the best and most important speeches ever given in my opinion. It has so much meaning and something that every one should read and study at least once.

[Clay Davis]

Winning the war of words.

[Cynda Reads]

Current Review 2019 (a previous review below):

How this review came into being. I read this address in advance of reading Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America by Garry Wills. I read the address from Address>Wikisource. At this website are listed various drafts of the speech. I chose the Bliss Copy as it is the only copy signed by Lincoln. It seems to be the same speech engraved on the Lincoln Memorial. (Blinking screen and flipping screens make it difficult for me to be completely certain.)

The power of these words seems to increase every time I read this address. I imagine that the usual oratorical style of Lincoln could not convey the power of this speech. Yet the power did come to be known as all the addresses of the Gettysburg consecration ceremonies were collected and printed. Eventually Lincoln's address would be the only one fondly remembered by many.

The language fires my brain.
________

Previous Review February 2016:

Beautiful. Spoke respectfully to all men of this country. I wonder--really-I know that Lincoln intentionally changed the plan of protecting These United States to the plan of The United States. And this from a man others insisted upon his having limited literacy and his unrefined manners.

[K. Anna Kraft]

I arranged my takeaway thoughts into a haiku (as best as I could), as is my gimmick:

"Through the way we live,
We honor the dead more than
Any civic nod."

[Summer]

Passing through Gettysburg so I thought I’d read this! (Only read the transcript not the illustrated version) It’s actually incredibly short. But very potent and poetic !

[Alex]

In this entire speech, this is the only thing that really stuck with me:

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

It's a beautiful thought, and a wonderful expression of the humbleness that we ought to have for the sacrifices of martyrs.

Sadly, the rest of the speech wasn't nearly as good. Lincoln paints the Civil War as a conflict for freedom, when the war was only partially (if at all) fought for the slaves. And yet he doesn't mention the slaves at all. Whose freedom, then, does he talk about? The freedom of the southern farmers whose lands were ravaged? By the prisoners of war on both sides, that succumbed to starvation and disease? The Civil War was fought savagely. It was one of the first total wars fought in the modern age, and many of the veterans (particularly of the North!) reappear as butchers in the Indian Wars. As the Bible says:

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

When a war is fought with such savagery, and brings such terrible consequences, then I need a little more than a Gettysburg Address to know that it was indeed fought for freedom, not for domination.

[Kristina Seleshanko]

In large lettering, this book reprints Lincoln's most famous speech, overlaying the text upon actual photographs of Civil War battlefields, paintings of the Founding Fathers, maps, period drawings of battles, and period newspaper clippings. The original speech, in Lincoln's own writing, is reprinted at the end of the book.

Some will complain you can find the Gettysburg Address all over the Internet for free. But there's little doubt most kids (and adults) learn better when they have visual images to go along with text. Perhaps such resources are available online, but I'd always rather have a book. This volume, with it's mostly large type and full page period illustrations, is a good way to learn about one of the most important speeches ever made in the United States. Some of the illustrations are quite moving - authentic photos of the dead on the battlefield, for example, and men in uniform going about the daily business of the Civil War.

The speech is still relevant today, too, as Lincoln reminds us our country was founded upon God and liberty, and that Americans, above all people, should strive to protect the union and each other or risk having "this government of the people, by the people, for the people...perish[ing:] from the earth."

The only down side to this book is that it's entirely black and white. True enough, most of the original sources for illustrations are black and white, but some are in color (a painting of the founders, and a flag background, for example). Although it's nice to have an exact reprint of this 1960s book, some added color would have been an excellent addition.

[B. P. Rinehart]

There is no cleaver or surprising way to introduce this speech. Written 150 years ago today, it is one of the definitive speeches of American history. This short speech was hardly so ambitious from Lincoln's view and he didn't intend it to be more than some token words to dedicate the National Cemetery at Gettysburg.

He started off by reminding the audience present that it had only been 87 ears since the The Declaration of Independence, and now they were about to dedicate a cemetery to those who died in the "great civil war."

Then he says this: "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract." After which he notes that nobody will remember this dedication but everyone will remember the battle itself so it is to them, the living, to see the war through until "all men" were free..."[and] 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."

[Colleen]

The audio edition I "read" included some of the history prior to Lincoln's speech and some of the history after the reconstruction period, including some inspirational words from Martin Luther King.

[Kier Scrivener]

I am not American, so I was not familiar with this before reading it today and I truly understand its enduring measure. It is beautiful and inspiring.

[Sarah Calvert]

RAHHHHH 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅 Abraham Lincoln is my favorite president bc I was born in the land of Lincoln and it felt like my duty as an Illinoisian to honor him in this way 🫡🫡🫡🫡

[Illiterate]

Worthy evasions and delusions. If America were as it imagines, there would have been no civil war.

[Young Kim]

The Gettysburg Address has been the very base of the unity of the nation and her success. It was Lincoln's most valuable legacy left for the following generations.

[Sheila]

Abraham Lincoln was an amazing man, and an amazing President. In today's political climate it is interesting to go back and read his words.

[Matt]

Words so distant and so relevant

Lincoln’s words are ringing in my ears today. The anarchists who try to overthrow our country cannot win. The resolve of freedom loving men an women will prevail against those that try to shackle us to the slavery of socialism and poverty. The freedom to live life as each of us sees fit, not to be told we must give up our freedom and liberty so that it can be taken by force. There has never been a communist/ socialist government that has peacefully taken and held power. Bloodshed and murder have always walked lockstep with it. Taking away our right to assemble, taking away our freedom to worship, taking away the right to keep and bear arms. The democrats want to abolish all these things. Fight the tyranny of the Democratic / socialist/ communist party with every breath you take. We shall not go quietly into the good night.

[Nate]

I really liked this book. This book is basically just the Gettysburg address in picture book form. The thing I liked was its amazing illustrations. The thing I didn't like is that it doesn't describe things like how did the Gettysburg address impact America or other facts about the Gettysburg address but a pretty good book.

[Kathleen]

This is a very short but poignant book. Everyone has heard the Gettysburg Address. I did not realize there were different versions. The one we most likely know well is the Bliss version or the 5 th version. Look at that speech, line by line....it was powerful then and it is powerful today.

[John Yelverton]

Probably the greatest political speech over made at exactly the moment it needed to be made.

[Ray LaManna]

What can I say...part of our national treasure.

[Yash]

Penguin Great Ideas: 8/100, Series Four: 2/10

I so fucking love Lincoln's speeches and everything else about him.