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The Inspirational Words
of
the
Gettysburg Address Text: Meaning and Impact
The patriotic words of the Gettysburg Address text were written by
President Abraham Lincoln. He started to write the speech the day
before his arrival in Gettysburg. He then toured the site of the
battlefield and was moved to
write additional
entries further emphasizing the solemn dedication of the cemetery to
the honored dead. His words in the patriotic Gettysburg
Address text aroused a strong impact and a highly emotional response
from the audience. The impact of the words had the effect of
emphasizing the Union cause of the Civil War and emphasizing the
previous struggle of citizens who fought for liberty, equality and
freedom in the American Revolution and the endurance of these
ideals. The words of the Gettysburg Address text were so powerful
that they inspired the nation at the time - and continues to inspire
people today.
Full
Gettysburg Address Text
The
original, full Gettysburg Address Text is as follows, read this
first and then go to our line by line text breakdown, meaning and
analysis of the words:
Gettysburg Address Text
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 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.
Gettysburg Address Text
Gettysburg Address Text: Poetic Prose and Allusion
The Gettysburg Address text is more of like a piece of poetic prose
than a political speech. Prose poetry combines the characteristics
of poetry, conveying ideas and emotional experiences, but lacks
words that rhyme or a specific rhythm. Prose creates heightened
imagery and emotional effect. The use of imagery heightens the
impact of the words to the text. President Lincoln makes use of
Allusions in the words of the Gettysburg Address text. Because
allusions make reference to something other than what is directly
being said, it is easy to miss an allusion, or fail to understand an
allusion if you do not know the underlying story or reference point.
This is why so many people ask "What is the Meaning of the
Gettysburg Address Text?"
Gettysburg Address Text:
What is the Meaning of
the
Gettysburg Address Text?
The easiest way to understand the allusions in and the meaning of
the Gettysburg Address Text is to go through the speech line by line
- you will be amazed at the extent of the meaning behind words and
understand why the words and text in the speech known as the
Gettysburg Address is recognized as an extraordinary piece of prose
poetry and example of allusion and why it remains one of the most
famous speeches ever delivered in the United States of America, and
the world.
The
Gettysburg Address Text:
The
Gettysburg
Address Text and Line by Line Meaning
What is the
Meaning of the Gettysburg Address Text? The Words
and Meaning of the Gettysburg Address Text are detailed line by line
with an explanation of the significance and the meaning of the words
to this famous speech.
The
Gettysburg
Address Text and Line by Line Meaning
● Four score and seven
years ago
● ●
What is the
significance of these words? What does 'score' mean? The
word 'score' means 20. So Four score and seven totals 87
years. The Gettysburg Address was delivered in 1863.
87 years before this date was 1776 - the birth of
America as a nation with the Declaration of
Independence. President Lincoln was referring to the
past and all that America stood for. This one line also
has a religious tone. Psalm 90:10 in the Bible says "The
days of our years are threescore years and ten". And
this reminds people of how long a person can expect to
live their life.
● our fathers brought
forth on this continent a new nation,
● ●
This is a reference
to the Founding Fathers and their work to form a
Constitution for the new nation of the United States
● conceived in Liberty,
and
● ●
Lincoln is reminding
people that the reason the nation was created was to
gain liberty - another word for freedom. On January 1,
1863 the President had issued the
Emancipation
Proclamation, the first step towards freeing slaves.
● dedicated to the
proposition that all men are created equal.
● ●
Another sublime
reference to slavery and the equality of men
● Now we are engaged in
a great civil war,
● testing whether that
nation, or any nation,
● so conceived and so
dedicated, can long endure.
● ●
With these words he
is moving from the past to the present. And he talks
about the longevity of a nation fighting a Civil War.
● We are met on a great
battlefield of that war.
● ●
The great battlefield
is the
Battle of Gettysburg where the losses totaled
51,000. But it was only one battle of the war
● We have come to
dedicate a portion of that field,
● ●
The reason for the
ceremony
● as a final resting
place for those who here gave their lives
● that the nation might
live.
● It is altogether
fitting and proper that we should do this.
● ●
He is talking about
the sacrifice of the lives of the men for the benefit of
and to meet the aspirations of the nation and that the
dedication ceremony was the honorable appropriate action
of the time.
● But, in a larger
sense,
● we can not dedicate
● we can not consecrate
● we can not hallow
this ground.
● ●
The President is
saying that no actions of the living...
● The brave men, living
and dead,
● who struggled here,
have consecrated it,
● far above our poor
power to add or detract.
● ●
Can in anyway equal
the sacrifice of the dead
● The world will little
note,
● nor long remember
what we say here,
● but it can never
forget what they did here.
● ●
The President is
using these words to move from the present to the
future. That the words spoken at the ceremony may not be
remembered in the future but the actions of the dead
would not be forgotten
● 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
● ●
President Lincoln is
reminding people that although the ceremony was
dedicated to those fallen on one battlefield and their
achievements in victory that the Civil War was
continuing and there was more to be done
● 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
● ●
The gallant dead have
fought for the cause, and that those left behind were
responsible for ensuring that their sacrifice should not
be be in vain by fighting even harder for the cause
● 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.
● ●
The President ends by
talking of God, and a new type of freedom for the people
of the United States by the will of those people and
those they have elected to govern the country. The words
are also reminiscent of the start of the Constitution
"We the People..."
The
Gettysburg
Address Text and Line by Line Meaning
Memorizing the
Gettysburg Address Text
The Text of the Gettysburg Address is short and many
kids at school and college are given the challenge
or task to memorize the text. There is no easy way
of memorizing the Gettysburg Address Text but we can
give you a few tips
to aid your knowledge retention.
●
Memorize the
Gettysburg Address text line by line
●
When you have
memorized a line, write it down
●
Repetition
aids the memory, so keep repeating the process
●
Practice the
repetition of the Gettysburg Address text by
repeating it out loud
Gettysburg Address Text - President Abraham Lincoln Video
The article on the Gettysburg Address Text provides an overview of one of the Important
events of his presidential term in office. The following
Abraham Lincoln video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 16th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865.
Gettysburg Address Text
●
Interesting Facts about Gettysburg Address Text for kids and schools
●
Definition and Summary of the Gettysburg Address Text in US history
●
The Gettysburg Address Text, a Important
event in US history
●
Abraham Lincoln Presidency from March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865
●
Impact and meaning of Gettysburg Address Text
●
What is the Meaning of the Gettysburg Address Text?
●
Abraham Lincoln and
the Gettysburg Address Text for schools,
homework, kids and children |
