In 1863 on this day, November 19th, there were some 15,000 people who gathered at the Gettysburg cemetery to here a speech that would be remembered in history.
Abraham Lincoln's two minute speech followed a two hour memorized speech from Edward Everett and a special Hymn written by Benjamin Brown French just for this occasion.
Everett's speech and the hymn were sung for the occasion but what is most significant today is Abraham Lincoln's 2 minute address that stands in history.
"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.”
Lincoln recognized that the nation was founded on liberty and equality.
and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Lincoln realized at that moment in the Gettysburg battlefield that this battlefield was just a representation of a much larger battlefield:
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.
We have come to the point that we take the freedoms given by democracy for granted, but many had given their lives so that:
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 information about Gettysburg try this free book from the library of Congress on archive. There are poems and stories I read for the first time:
Today this battle for liberty and equality moves from the political stage to internet and social media and finance. This is not an easy battle and I applaud those who are making every effort.
Included here is a reading of the Gettysburg address to the music of the Hymn of the Republic. Ironically the kids' voices in the song make it sound like the characters of Charlie Brown and Peanuts are speaking the address rather than Abraham Lincoln. As a teacher I feel a spark of hope in these kid's voices. I hope you do too.
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