Those Who Heard Lincoln's Words

His audience was his country. All those present and all those who would read his words later in the newspapers across the North. They were tired and ravaged from a vicious civil war that was killing more of their men than the enemy even though they were spending more money than the enemy. Many were beginning to doubt the war effort and wanted to end the conflict. Friends and loved ones were falling like flies. Many were forgetting the very reason this war had started, or at least now felt that the cost to preserve those principles was too high. After suffering major casualties in a battle they won, many wondered if they would ever win. Then Abraham Lincoln steps up to the podium.

President Lincoln begins his short Gettysburg Address by remembering the audience of the causes they were fighting for—to preserve liberty and freedom and show that such a country can survive. The people undoubtedly wanted freedom to work. They wanted liberty to work. They wanted freedom to work. They wanted America to work. Lincoln’s use of liberty and freedom is ingenious as it reminds people of the work put in by their ancestors to become free from Great Britain and gives them a desire to continue to defend those freedoms.

Then he addresses the deaths of those lost in all the civil war as having been lost to preserve the cause of liberty and that now the responsibility rests upon the living to continue their cause so that they may not die in vain. As the people ponder on the deaths of loved ones and friends they undoubtedly want to see those deaths result in success and victory rather than failure. It is clear from Lincoln that success won’t be easy but that it is ever important in preserving the nation.

Lincoln’s address was tailor-made to lift those struggling and doubting the war to remembrance of the reasons behind it. As he focused on his audience he crafted one of the most famous speeches in history.

Brandon Hellewell