The Gettysburg Address

      "The ultimate expression of the majesty of Shakespeare's language."
                      ~ Winston Churchill on the Gettysburg Address





         
        There is not one Gettysburg Address, today there are five versions of the speech that are persevered. We do not know what version of the speech the President gave or the exact spot where gave his address.  Whatever version he delivered, Lincoln's words had a profound impact on the Civil War and impacted people across the world.
       They November 19, 1863, was the dedication of the Soldier's National Cemetery in Gettysburg Pennsylvania only four and a half months after the battle.  The commission in charge of the cemetery invited pastor and statesman Edward Everett to give a speech at the dedication and asked President Lincoln to deliver "a few appropriate remarks" at the ceremony.
        During the train ride from Washington D.C. Lincoln remarked that he was feeling dizzy and felt weak. Some historians believe that Lincoln was suffering from a fever the day he arrived at Gettysburg.  Lincoln arrived at the ceremony with his assistants John Nicolay and John Hay as well as members of his Cabinet.  During the speech Hay noted that Lincoln's face looked haggard and had a "ghastly color".  After the speech on the train home Lincoln appeared feverish and weak and developed a rash.  He may have developed a mild case of smallpox that lingered for a few weeks following his visit.
     Lincoln's speech lasted under three minutes and when the President finished the audience is said to have given the President some "polite applause."  Lincoln felt that his speech was a failure and that he had let the American people down.

Your h.w. tonight is to read and markup the Gettysburg Address.

   To help with this very important document here is a link to a site that analyzes the speech. 

Here is a link to the video that we watched on the Gettysburg Address if it will be of some help to you to hear it again.
     
Link to the Ken Burns Civil War chapter on the Gettysburg Address
                   and for Cam

Johnny Cash reading the Gettysburg Address