Histor Gettysburg Address

Home , David Wills (Gettysburg), John Hay

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BACKGROUND BACKGROUND

● The Battle of Gettysburg was fought ● The Union had an important from July 1-3, 1863, in Gettysburg, victory as they stopped Pennsylvania. Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s advance into the North. ● It was the worst battle of the entire Civil War with about 51,000 killed or hurt. ● About 8,000 men and 3,000 horses were killed. ● It was also the largest battle ever on American soil with 165,000 soldiers ● They were quickly buried in large GETTYSBURG involved. graves after the battle. Battle of Gettysburg, Thulstrap The Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., ADDRESS July 3d. 1863

KEY FIGURES KEY FIGURES STORY ● Abraham Lincoln – As the 16th president of the ● Edward Everett – He was chosen as the main ● A Gettysburg man named David Willis U.S., he led the country through the Civil War. speaker for the dedication of the Soldiers’ pushed for there to be a national National Cemetery. ● He gave the short speech that would become cemetery at Gettysburg. He wanted known as the Gettysburg Address. ● Everett gave a long speech called the to make sure that the men who had “Gettysburg Oration” before Lincoln gave his died there were properly buried. address. ● In the months after the battle, the Soldiers’ National Cemetery was created.

● A total of 3,512 Union soldiers were Abraham Lincoln Bust of Solon buried there, including 979 unknowns. Soldiers’ National Cemetery today

STORY STORY STORY

● It was decided that the cemetery ● On November 19th, Everett was the one ● The day of the speech, Lincoln was who planned to deliver a ‘Gettysburg would be dedicated on November feeling dizzy and weak. He was sick with address.’ He did give a two-hour speech 19, 1863. smallpox for months after. that he had worked on for weeks. That speech is now mostly forgotten. ● Former Secretary of State Edward ● There are five known original copies of Everett was chosen as the main ● After he finished, Lincoln came forward. It the Gettysburg Address. They are all a speaker. was his turn to speak to the over 10,000 little bit different. people who were there. ● On November 2, Willis invited ● Each copy is named for the person who President Lincoln to attend. He asked ● He spoke for less than two minutes and received it from Lincoln. The first two him to say a few words after the main said just ten sentences. Yet it was his words copies were given to Lincoln’s private that are still remembered to this day. Lincoln at the dedication speech. Soldiers’ National Cemetery today secretaries, John Nicolay and John Hay. Gettysburg Address text STORY STORY THE TEXT

● Today they are both kept at the Library of ● The Bliss version, named for Colonel Congress in Washington, D.C. Alexander Bliss, is seen as the “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new standard text today. nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are ● The Everett copy was sent by Lincoln to created equal. Edward Everett in early 1864. It is now on ● This is the version that’s on the Lincoln display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Memorial. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. nation so conceived and dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great ● The Bliss copy is on display in the battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a ● The Bancroft copy was sent by Lincoln to Lincoln room of the White House. final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It famous historian George Bancroft in is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. ... February 1864. It is now owned by Cornell Gettysburg Address on display University. Lincoln Memorial

THE TEXT PERSONAL NARRATIVE PERSONAL NARRATIVE

“But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can ● The following is a part of the letter that not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, David Wills sent to Abraham Lincoln: “The Several States having Soldiers in the Army of the Potomac, who were 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 killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, or have since died at the various hospitals did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which were established in the vicinity, have procured grounds on a prominent which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to part of the Battle Field for a Cemetery, and are having the dead removed to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these them and properly buried. These Grounds will be Consecrated and set apart honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the to this Sacred purpose, by appropriate Ceremonies, on Thursday, the 19th last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall instant. Hon Edward Everett will deliver the Oration. ... 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." David Wills House

PERSONAL NARRATIVE PERSONAL NARRATIVE PERSONAL NARRATIVE

● The editorial board of the “I am authorized by the Governors of the different States to invite you to be Harrisburg Patriot and Union, present, and participate in these Ceremonies, which will doubtless be very a Democratic publication, "We pass over the silly remarks of the President; for the imposing and solemnly impressive. It is the desire that, after the Oration, you, published the following credit of the Nation we are willing that the veil of as Chief Executive of the Nation, formally set apart these grounds to their reaction to the Gettysburg Patriot Union masthead Sacred use by a few appropriate remarks. It will be a source of great oblivion shall be dropped over them and that they Address: gratification to the many widows and orphans that have been made almost shall no more be repeated or thought of." friendless by the Great Battle here, to have you here personally … We hope you will be able to be present to perform this last solemn act to the Soldiers dead on this Battle Field.” PERSONAL NARRATIVE PERSONAL NARRATIVE LEGACY

● Sarah A. Cooke Meyers was 19 years old ● The reactions to the address were varied. when she heard Lincoln give the “It was Thursday morning November 19, 1863, just 68 years ago today, in the ● For example, one article in the Chicago Gettysburg Address. She said the following parlor of Judge David Wills in Gettysburg that I shook the hand of President Times called Lincoln’s words “silly, flat and when she was 87 years old in 1931: Lincoln. He was so tall that he stooped to take my hand, which seemed so dishwatery.” small in his. Silently, he smiled down upon me. I then [unin] up to the Cemetery before the President's procession started and sat upon the rough ● A Massachusetts paper called the wooden platform. I was close to the President and heard all of the Address, Springfield Republican showed a different but it seemed short. Then there was an impressive silence like our Menallen opinion. They said that the address was Friends Meeting. There was no applause when he stopped speaking.” “tasteful and elegant in every word and comma.” Depiction of address Cooke Meyers photo

LEGACY

● The Gettysburg Address has become an important part of American culture.

● It’s taught as a basic part of American history. Most people know at least part of the text.

● Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. referred to the Gettysburg address in his famous “I Have a Dream Speech.” This was delivered from the Lincoln Memorial in August 1963.

● Over 155 years later, the Gettysburg Address is still one of the most famous speeches in Lincoln monument at American history. Gettysburg

GETTYSBURG

ADDRESS

BACKGROUND

The Battle of Gettysburg was fought between Union and Confederate forces from July 1-3, 1863, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was the bloodiest battle of the entire Civil War with approximately 51,000 casualties. The conflict was also the largest battle ever on American soil with 165,000 soldiers involved. It was a pivotal battle in the war as the Union’s victory halted Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s advance into the North. About 8,000 men and 3,000 horses were killed. The Battle of Gettysburg, Thulstrap horses were burned, and the deceased people were quickly buried in mass graves to prevent the spread of diseases and foul smells in the summer heat.

KEY FIGURES

Abraham Lincoln – As the 16th president of the United States, he led the country through the Civil War. He wrote and delivered the short speech that would become known as the Gettysburg Address.

Edward Everett – He was chosen as the keynote speaker for the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. Everett delivered a lengthy speech called the “Gettysburg Oration” before Lincoln took the platform to give his address

STORY Lincoln photo A Gettysburg attorney named David Wills pushed for the creation of a national cemetery at Gettysburg. He wanted to ensure that the men who had died there received a proper burial. In the months following the battle, the Soldiers’ National Cemetery was established, and 3,512 Union soldiers were buried there, including 979 unknowns. It was determined that the cemetery would be dedicated on November 19, 1863. Popular orator and