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 nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

Abraham Lincoln:

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. < /p>

Abraham Lincoln

November 19, 1863

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States

Eighty-seven years ago, Our forefathers founded on this continent a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the idea that all men are created equal.

Currently, we are engaged in a great civil war, and we are testing whether this country, or any country with such ideas and such beliefs, can survive for a long time. We meet on one of the great battlefields 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 very reasonable for us to do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. Those brave men, living and dead, who fought here have consecrated this land beyond our humble power. The world will pay little heed, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what these men did here. Instead, we the living should dedicate ourselves to the unfinished work so valiantly advanced by those who fought here. We are here to dedicate ourselves to the great work that remains before us--by their glorious sacrifice we are all the more devoted to the cause to which they gave their last and fullest service--we here pledge that their death shall not be in vain -- that this nation may find a new life of freedom under the protection of God -- that government of the people, by the people, and for the people may not perish from the face of the earth.