The Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln was invited to speak at the cemetery dedication ceremony in Gettysburg in late November, 1863. He saw this as a great opportunity to speak to Americans about the importance of the Civil War. Many people believe he wrote the speech in only two days right before the ceremony. Even though he didn’t have a lot of time to prepare the speech, Lincoln was still able to share his optimism with people across the nation.

The Gettysburg Address is known for the monumental impact it had on history. Even though it was only two minutes long, President Lincoln was able to explain that our nation was founded on the idea that all people are created equal. That belief was being tested by the Civil War. Lincoln reassured the people that all who sacrificed their lives defending this belief would not have done so for nothing, and he was right!