Abraham Lincoln: The Gettysburg Address
President Abraham Lincoln delivered the following speech on November 19, 1863, at the
dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
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.
To hear the speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TCMHVmNc5w
Your Assignment is to analysis the Gettysburg Address
To analyze something, you must carefully read it and annotate what you find in it. To help guide
your writing, I’m giving you questions that need to be answered and included in your paper. This
is not a summary of what was said, but what he meant by his speech. To do this you have think
and dig deeper than just the words on the page.
Both Part I and Part II will need to be turned in at the start of the next class.
Part I
Answer the following questions. Type your answers. Please try to save paper when you print and
maintain your layout so there is as few pages as possible to print. You may use the computers to
help research your ideas. Please remember – if you use someone else’s ideas you MUST CITE!!!
I don’t mind if you incorporate someone else’s thoughts into your analysis but you MUST CITE.
1. First graph:
a. What is he referring to?
b. What does conceived in Liberty mean?
c. What does it mean that all men are created equal?
d. How would all men being created equal also apply to the Civil War?
2. Second graph:
a. First sentence: “nation so conceived and so dedicated” – what does that mean?
b. Why is he there to dedicate a portion of the field?
c. Why is it important to dedicate that field?
d. How does that represent the overall war?
3. Third graph:
a. Why can’t the living dedicate the ground when the dead already have?
b. Why does Lincoln insinuate that the dead have more power over the living?
c. Why does he say the world will little note what was said and done here? How is
he completely wrong about this? Why is he wrong about people forgetting his
speech?
d. Instead of dedicating the field why does Lincoln want the living to dedicate
themselves to finishing the work started by those killed in Gettysburg by battle?
e. What is the last full measure of devotion? Why does he call it this, and not just
say that the men died?
f. What would the “new birth of freedom” be for Lincoln?
g. To what is he alluding in the last line?
h. How does he connect the first sentence to the last sentence?
4. In general:
a. What images does he evoke in the listener/reader?
b. Why does he keep referring to the founding fathers and the constitution?
c. What does he ask the audience to do?
d. Why is this speech so famous?
What is the theme?
Part II:
Please write a 5 paragraph essay that analyzes the speech.
Example
1st graph: Thesis: what is your overall thought that you came away with after analyzing the
speech? What is Lincoln trying to convey to those listening? Why do people still study the speck
today? What is your opinion on the speech. Use examples from the speech to back up your
thoughts.
2nd graph: Go into some of the main ideas Lincoln touches on in his speech – what does he mean,
why does he say it. Don’t tell me what he’s saying but explain why. Why was he wrong about
people forgetting his speech?
3rd graph: Pick the references he makes to people dedicating the ground and themselves and
discuss what he means and why it’s important. Use explains from the speech to explain your
ideas.
4th graph: Discuss the allusions he has made to the constitution – why did he refer to it, why
would it be important, what emotions does it stir in the reader? Etc.
5th graph: conclusion. Tell the reader why the speech was an important part of history, your final
thoughts on it, and leave the reader with a big idea.
Rubric: Analyzing The Gettysburg Address
_____ turned in on time (5 points)
_____ thesis is present and easy to find (5 points)
_____ summary points are only briefly made (5 points)
_____ explanations of the meaning behind the speech are found in each graph (10 points)
_____ examples from the speech are present and help explain the writer’s analysis (5 points)
_____ explanation of allusions to the constitution (5 points)
_____ discussion of irony behind Lincoln thinking his speech would be forgotten (5 points)
____ grammar/essay format/topic sentences (10 points)
_____/50 points
10 percent off for each school day the essay is late