June 7th&8th

Post date: Jun 7, 2018 2:45:59 PM

Homework:

Gettysburg Address DBQs (1-7)
Study Constitutional Protections 1-50

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln

November 19, 1863

Questions:

1) The word "dedicate" is used six times in the speech. How does the use of the word "dedicate" contribute to Lincoln's message and why does he choose to use the same word over and over instead of picking different words that mean the same thing?

2) In this speech the word slavery is never used, but make an argument that President Lincoln is talking about abolishing slavery.

3) How does Lincoln move us from the beginning of our country to the future of our country in this speech?

4) Explain how Lincoln uses the ideals of the Founding generation to support the continuation of the Civil War?

5) In what ways does Lincoln acknowledge the ultimate sacrifice of the soldiers who died on the battlefield at Gettysburg? How does he argue that, despite the lives lost, the Civil War is worth fighting for?

6) According to President Lincoln, what obligations remained for Americans to fulfill.

7) Lincoln only spoke for about two minutes while other speakers spoke much longer that day. Why do you think that President Lincoln limited himself to so few words? To what extent do you think this has a effect?