Analysis Of The Gettysburg Address

The Battle of Gettysburg occurred between July 1 and July 3 of 1863 in Gettysburg, PA. The battle only lasted for three days, but in that short period, there were more lives lost than during the entire Civil War. It is said that it was the turning point of the war and began the Union’s road to victory. The Union was led by Major General George Meade while the Confederates followed General Robert Lee. Around 50,000 soldiers from both sides lost their lives on that battlefield before the Confederate Army retreated. (history.com)

On November 19, 1863 at Soldier’s National Cemetery located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech that would be remembered throughout time. He gave the speech while the United States were battling

His speech were received in different ways. Some thought that Lincoln’s words were well received and expressed how they were feeling; while others thought they had missed their mark and thought that it was too short for the occasion. The newspaper accounts of the speech were colored based on the paper’s stance on Abraham Lincoln. Regardless of the mixed reactions his words were ultimately remembered and resonated with many people (library.cornell.edu/Gettysburg).

There is only one known photograph of Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address. It was taken by David Bachrach, a Brady photographer (history.com). There are multiple photographs of President Abraham Lincoln waiting to speak but only one of him actually giving the speech. The short length of his speech may have made it hard for photographers to catch a photograph. The camera equipment of the time was time consuming to set up and a photographer would have had to be prepared ahead of time. The rarity of the Brady photo is what makes it

Abraham Lincoln also wanted to convey that the lives lost at the Battle of Gettysburg were not lost in vain and would serve a greater purpose. He was able to accurately sum up the situation in a concise speech that he believed was not that good. The only important thing was that the message would be remembered. Abraham Lincoln’s own words, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here”, show that he did not expect his words to have the lasting impression that they did (abrahamlincolnonline.org).

The words that Abraham Lincoln spoke so long ago still apply to modern situations. One of the major messages that all men are created equal is especially important today. The conflict between African American youth and various police departments in the United States showcases that this message is still important. Young African American men and women are now protesting to be seen as a life that is valuable and just as deserving to live as their white counterparts.

The comparison between the way Blacks were viewed during slavery and how Black youth feels they are viewed today is shockingly similar. Over 150 years ago Abraham gave this address and while things have significantly improved for African Americans, there are some things that have not changed.