Summary and Significance of the Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was delivered during the American Civil War. The potentially decisive Battle of Gettysburg was the backdrop of this public proclamation that was attended by fifteen thousand people. The carefully crafted speech lasted only a little over two minutes, but drove home the ideals of human equality and democracy being a government of, for and by the people.

Summary

Lincoln effectively summed up the consequences of the war in ten sentences. The controversies that rule exact words and transcriptions merge in agreement of the main strain of thought. Lincoln stressed on the harmony between the early settlers and the Native Americans in the early years. He highlighted the fact that liberty and equality were the core components for the emancipation of America. Lincoln urged the common man and politician to consider the lives lost in the attempt to save the nation from colonization, and pay tribute to the unsung heroes. He emphasized on the fact that the Gettysburg Address may be forgotten in time, but not the soldiers who willingly laid down their lives. He urged the gathering to take up the cause and complete the task at hand, to usher in a government 'of the people, by the people and for the people'.

Significance

The speech by Abraham Lincoln, in a way, redefined the Civil War. He propagated the struggle as one meant to witness the rebirth of freedom and people's power over the state. The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the civil war, making the town a burial ground for over 7500 soldiers. The cries of surviving family members welcomed the respite in Lincoln's address at the consecration of the 17 acres of cemetery. Its significance lies in the fact that Lincoln's political sentiments re-addressed war effort and challenged the outcome that otherwise seemed in favor of the 'copperheads'. On account of much political rivalry, it was not a success at the time. In fact, lack of sufficient applause and newspaper indifference indicate that the speech was made at a highly volatile phase in American history.

Importance

Abraham Lincoln was a proponent of peace and the end to the civil war. The importance of the Gettysburg Address sent the uniqueness of the nation's commitment to democracy like a shaft into the opposition. Even though the emphasis on equal justice, unfaltering resolution and the new-world definition of democracy took time to sink in, afterthought invited reconsideration and quick commendation of the truth and appeal in his words.

Lincoln had effectively made the people aware of their rights and declared the government answerable to the people. He redefined democracy as an independent offshoot of citizen will and not some property of the state legislatures. The political orator stylistically delivered the address to consistently initiate inquiry and political shift, even after his death. His belief in the power of a democratic form of government sparked numerous varying interpretations.

The Gettysburg Address can be now viewed on the south wall of the Lincoln Memorial. This Lincoln Address has shown an enduring manifestation in American culture. It is an inseparable part of numerous works in popular culture, designed for contemporary audiences. Martin Luther King Jr. referred to the political orator as 'a great American' and the Gettysburg address as 'a great beacon light and hope to millions'. Democracies around the world have now adopted the definition of democracy from the very words of Abraham Lincoln.