Nov. 19, 1863

In July of 1863, two years into the American Civil War, one of the war’s deadliest battles took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The three-day battle, where the Union would prevail, took the lives of 45,000 to 50,000 soldiers of both sides combined. Almost five months later, at the cemetery of the fallen men, President Lincoln delivered one of the most impactful speeches in American history, reminding the country why the Union had to fight: for the “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

The victory of Gettysburg would prove to be a significant victory for the Union, largely credited as the turning point of the Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his men would retreat from Gettysburg, marking the last battle fought on Northern territory, effectively ending Lee’s invasion of the North. A year and a half later, Lee would surrender to the General of the Union Army and future President Ulysses S. Grant, finally ending the bloodiest American war.

Following the tens of thousands of deaths from the Battle of Gettysburg, David Wills, an attorney, would be tasked with buying several acres of land and turning it into a cemetery for the fallen soldiers, where more than 7,500 men call their final resting place. On the day of the ceremony, the Consecration of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, less than half of the soldiers had been moved from the battleground to the cemetery.

When setting up the ceremony, Wills invited popular orator Edward Everett to speak on behalf of the soldiers, who would go on to speak for nearly two hours that day. Right before the ceremony, Lincoln would be extended an invitation to attend and share some words with the nation, not even the featured speaker of the day. He would give a two-minute, less than 275-word speech that the country would never forget.

Lincoln’s powerful words sent a message: this was not just about winning the Civil War but about winning the fight for freedom and equality for all. The immediate reaction to the address was initially mixed, divided on party lines. But the impact of the articulate speech redefined the entire nation’s vision for democracy and freedom.

Lincoln would see the end of the Civil War in April 1865, but unfortunately was assassinated six days later. Lincoln’s vision of a “new birth of freedom” would carry on after his death, with the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments being ratified.