New Delhi, November 18 (IANS). A speech by Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of America and known as ‘The Great Liberator’, is recorded in the golden letters of history. That date was 19 November 1863. On the same day, President Abraham Lincoln, standing on the battlefield of Gettysburg, gave a speech which was only two minutes long, but its impact remains even after centuries have passed.
The American Civil War was at its bloodiest. Just a few months ago, the Battle of Gettysburg took place, in which thousands of soldiers were killed. An event was held for the establishment of a soldiers’ memorial at the same place, and the keynote address was given by a well-known speaker, Edward Evert, for about two hours. But what the world remembered were Lincoln’s 272 words. So short, but so influential that even today this speech is remembered first to explain the definition of democracy.
Lincoln began his speech by quoting the principles upon which America was built: equality, liberty, and democratic expectations. He said that this nation was born in freedom and considers all human beings equal, hence this war was being fought not just for land but for the idea that puts human equality above all. He gave the martyrs an honor that was greater than words—saying that we can honor them not with words but by completing their unfinished work. This ‘unfinished business’ was to secure a nation “that is of the people, for the people and run by the people.” (Of the people, by the people and for the people)
The most striking thing about the Gettysburg Address is its brevity. Lincoln knew that the war had broken America’s soul, and the people wanted the plain truth, not long speeches. He told the nation that the real memorial was not the burial grounds of the soldiers, but the commitment that people would show to carry forward their sacrifice. That is why his two-minute speech became a national promise that democracy would continue, and that the war would give the nation a strong, equal and independent identity.
Today, the Gettysburg Address is considered one of the world’s greatest speeches. It is taught in schools, is considered an example of political communication and symbolizes the basic concepts of democracy.
–IANS
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