On 19 November 1863, US President Abraham Lincoln delivered his profound Gettysburg Address, beginning with the iconic phrase, “Four score and seven years ago,” invoking the founding of the nation 87 years prior.
Standing on the hallowed grounds of the battlefield, where one of the Civil War’s bloodiest and most pivotal conflicts had unfolded, Lincoln spoke for a mere two minutes.
Yet, his words reshaped America’s ideals, dedicating the cemetery for fallen soldiers while reasserting the nation's commitment to liberty, equality, and democracy.
His address transcended the moment, recontextualising the war as a struggle not just for union but for a “new birth of freedom” that would ensure government "of the people, by the people, for the people" endured.
