The Gettysburg Address During The Civil War

The Gettysburg Address is a speech that was both written and spoken by President Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln was elected in 1860 and was serving his first term which was also during the Civil War. The cause for the speech was that a three-day long battle ensued between the Union and the Confederates which resulted in thousands of wounded and dead soldiers. Lincoln was requested to speak at the battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, both recognizing the Union victory but also recognizing the cost. One interesting note taken from reading the Gettysburg Address was its length. After important events, it was ordinary for individuals to deliver an hour length speech. However, Lincolns address only lasted a couple minutes. For comparison, before Lincoln had given his speech a man named Edward Everett also spoke at the battlefield in Gettysburg. Everett was an American politician who spoke for two hours
In the opening sentence of Lincolns speech, he sends the Confederates a message saying what the founding fathers really wanted for America. Lincoln points to the Declaration of Independence and how the founding fathers stated that all men are created equal. Lincoln then continues his address by saying how the battles fought are to witness if a nation, based on the idea that all men are created equal, can long endure this civil war. Lincoln then recognizes and honors the fallen soldiers of Gettysburg. He states that these soldiers who had laid their lives down shall not be forgotten, but their actions to protect the Union will be remembered. The last portion of the Gettys burg Address points out Lincolns intended audience. He was speaking to the citizens of America, calling for them to continue the fight so that the fallen soldiers would not die in vain and that the Union will stay together and that the United States of America would