Analysis of the Gettysburg Address
The Battle of Gettysburg had just occurred in which the Union lost 23,000 of its men. The Confederacy suffered even more casualties with 28,000 men lost, over a third of their army. This marked a turning point in the war as the Confederacy lost hope of foreign assistance (History, n.d.). Although the Battle of Gettysburg was a victory for North, the Union still had a long way to go before winning the war, and they had just lost tens of thousands of fathers, sons, brothers, and husbands. Upon conclusion of the Battle, Lincoln traveled to Gettysburg to make a short speech dedicating the graveyard to the men who fought there. Lincoln shocked the nation, however, by the length of his speech and the words
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Rather than writing a speech, Douglass details the hardships that come with living a life in slavery and the escape from that life. Just as Lincoln encourages everyone to fight for equality and their country, Douglass becomes that fighter, saying, “My soul is set all on fire…I could do little; but what I could, I did with a joyful heart, and never felt happier than when in an anti-slavery meeting” (Colorado State University-Global Campus, 2016a, p. 10). From his lofty position as President, Lincoln encourages everyone to fight for his or her beliefs, and Douglass embodies that fighting spirit, taking action through writing short stories denouncing slavery and advocating for equality.
Conclusion
Despite the short length of his speech, Abraham Lincoln’s the Gettysburg address is widely considered to be an incredibly powerful and influential speech. Rather than harping on his opponents or trying to justify his political maneuvers, President Lincoln focused on celebrating those who gave their lives in the support of equality and the Declaration of Independence. His expert use of language and the short nature of the speech also persuaded the people of America to never stop fighting for their