The+Gettysburg+Address


 * __The Gettysburg Address__**

//The Gettysburg Address was a short speech orated by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, during the ongoing Civil War. It was given during a ceremony, which was held on the battlefield of Gettysburg itself. The ceremony was to consecrate a cemetery in memory of the many that fought on that soil for the war effort.//


 * __Background__**

The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War and it is often regarded as a turning point of that war. The Civil War, itself, was a major war between the United States and a seceded group of slave states called the Confederacy. The Union, led by Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party, opposed the expansion of slavery and also rejected any right of secession. Confederate General Robert E. Lee was defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg and his invasions in the north finally came to an end. All-in-all, casualties added up to about 51,000. It was a victory for the Union and although they had won the battle, the war was far from over.


 * __Analysis__**

//"Four score and seven years ago our forefathers brought forth on this continent...Liberty...all men are created equal."//


 * This quote from the first paragraph of Lincoln's speech gives a reminder that this nation began with the proposition that all men are created equal. Lincoln’s views tied in strongly with this, as his main objective was to oppose the expansion of slavery. This stopping of slavery eventually leads to the abolition of it all. The naturalism part of this is that the nation was "conceived" in liberty. The use of imagery throughout the speech intentionally gives the idea that the nation was "born" and after the civil War it was "reborn" and therefore given a new life.**

//"We have come to dedicate...for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live."//


 * //O//****f the second paragraph, this quote was used to formally announce the dedication of the battlegrounds of Gettysburg to the soldiers who fought upon it.** **//Lincoln honors the Union soldiers and states that they died so that the nation could survive, a statement that holds controversial. Writer H. L. Mencken criticized the central argument of Lincoln’s speech, stating, "It is difficult to imagine anything more untrue. The Union soldiers in the battle actually fought against self-determination; it was the Confederates who fought for the right of their people to govern themselves." Although this quote is given high symbolic treatment, it can be noted that Union soldiers truly died in efforts for their country.//**

//"..from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last measure of devotion... we....resolve... shall not die in vain..."//


 * Lincoln** **states that it is impossible to honor the grounds of Gettysburg through speech or memorial. In likeness, it has already been consecrated by those Union soldiers who struggled on that land. His belief was that the nation should continue the efforts of these soldiers so that they do not die in vain. President Lincoln seems to have pulled out a cry for support for a bloody conflict that was far from over.**


 * __Attitudes and Themes during the Time__**

By honoring the men and the battle itself, Lincoln attempts to gain support for the war effort. By formally dedicating the cemetery, he invokes the importance of the Civil War and praises the goal of national equality.

On the Confederate side, things were looking down. The death of Stonewall Jackson gave a look of lost hope. Also, a defeated Lee meant that the invincibility of the strong Confederate army was broken.

The north was electrified after their victory at Gettysburg.


 * __President's Address to the Nation (after the 9/11 attacks)__**

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The speech given by President Bush recounts the fateful day of September 11, 2001 in America (click [|here] for more information). Many themes are included in President Bush's speech. Firstly, he honors the courage of American citizens who were involved in the tragedy that was 9/11. A good portion of his speech singles out the many Americans involved in the fight against terrorism. Like Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Bush reaches out to the nation in an attempt to persuade the majority that we should not let those fighting for us die in vain. Men and women fighting in the name of democracy and in the belief of keeping our homeland safe are dying for our safety and protection.

The President also tells his fellow Americans that he plans to deal with Osama bin Laden and other terrorists in hiding. He plans to find them and bring them to justice. Also, he tries to ease the anger of the nation on the war on terror by stating the purpose of confrontation to the streets of Baghdad. The reason is simply and clearly that the regime of Osama bin Laden was a clear threat to the U.S. and that is why we are there.

Ideals, nowadays, probably have changed little. During the Civil War, many opposed the war against the Confederacy. In today's society, many Americans have taken a stand against the President and his administration, in opposition to the recruitment of American soldiers in Iraq. Modern ideals include the immediate safety of //all// Americans, overlooking the future safety of the country as a whole.

Notes Themes of the Gettysburg