Comments on: The Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address

Ogre Lawless — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 10:55:42 -0800

In the War Between The States, no finer words were ever spoken than those by Abraham Lincoln on 19 November 1863 at the consecration of a cemetery in rural Pennsylvania for the over 50,000 who died in the three worst days of battle in a wretched civil war. The speech is often included in US history books and collections of influential American speeches as one of the strongest examples of presidential oratory ever given. Is it any wonder, then, that it should inspire modern art?

By: alumshubby

alumshubby — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 15:15:01 -0800

Funny thing was, he wasn't even the featured speaker. He was asked to deliver a few appropriate remarks after the orator of the day, Edward Everett, waxed lyrical with a lengthy speech. Wikipedia entry

By: caseymcg

caseymcg — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 15:54:48 -0800

Hmm, sounds oddly familiar . . . .

By: yhbc

yhbc — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 17:56:23 -0800

Why yes, it does.

By: pmurray63

pmurray63 — Fri, 19 Dec 2003 06:08:48 -0800

Not to be pedantic, but there were not "over 50,000 who died." The military uses "casualty" very broadly, which is why the National Park Service says that "Over 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured." The single bloodiest day in American history remains the battle of Antietam, with 3,650 killed.

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Sat, 20 Dec 2003 08:08:48 -0800

And Lincoln's second inaugural address is better than his Gettysburg address.

By: Ogre Lawless

Ogre Lawless — Tue, 23 Dec 2003 11:28:43 -0800

Metafilter: Its been done before. Clearly I shoulda just left it at the powerpoint app and let that get roasted on its own merits.