On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Pennsylvania. In just a few minutes, he redefined the Civil War as a struggle not only for the Union but for the principle that all people are created equal. He invoked the nation’s founding and spoke of a “new birth of freedom” that would ensure government “of the people, by the people, for the people” would endure. The speech followed one of the war’s bloodiest battles and sought to give meaning to the sacrifice of those who died. Initial reactions were mixed, but over time the address came to be seen as a masterpiece of political oratory. It remains central to how Americans understand democracy and national purpose.
