February 20, 2008
Just what does "Four score and seven years ago" mean? Remember where it was used?
Click here for the Gettysburg Address.
© 2008 J. Delbridge.
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Updated February 20, 2008
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You score if you say a score equals 20 years. It was in 1863 when Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address. "Four score (4x20years=80 years) and seven years ago (87 years) (1863 – 87 years equals 1776)...our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
The Story
A local Gettysburg attorney thought it would be wise to find a suitable final resting place for the fallen Union soldiers of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 1st-3rd, 1863). Therefore, a 17 acre plot of land adjoing the western side of Evergreen Cemetery, on top of Cemetery Hill, was to be the National Cemetery. It was in this new cemetery where perhaps the most famous speech in American history took place, the Gettysburg Address.
Edward Everett, perhaps the most famous orator of his day, was to be the main speaker for the dedication event of the new cemetery. It was to be dedicated September 23rd, 1863. However, Everett made it known that he needed more time to prepare a speech for the dedication ceremonies. Therefore, Thursday, November 19, became the official dedication. It was decided rather late to invite the President of the United States for the ceremony.
Lincoln accepted the short-noticed invitation. He arrived in Gettysburg on November 18th. During the night of the 18th, he was the guest of Mr. David Wills, the attorney whose idea it was to create the new cemetery. It was here, at Will's house, that Lincoln conducted the final edits of the short speech he had written earlier in Washington, contrary to common beliefs that he wrote the speech on back of an envelope on the train going to Gettysburg.
On the morning of the 19th, Lincoln rode between William Seward, Secretary of State, and Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of Treasury, on his way to the dedication.
Everette, as the keynote speaker, gave his speech first. It lasted two hours, and included over 13,000 words. Lincoln rose to give his 272 word, three minute speech, “Four score and seven years ago...” It is widely believed that Lincoln said much more with significanly fewer words than Everette. However, it is also believed Lincoln was incorrect in saying, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here,...”. His speech said exactly what the nation, as well as the numerous widows present, wanted to hear, “ ...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”. The location of where Lincoln gave his address is now represented by the Soldier’s National Monument, within the cemetery.
So I ponder, why is it that so many people think Lincoln was not one of the greatest presidents? He was very witty and was intellectually so much smarter than most, if not all other presidents. He was a self-made man, mostly self-educated. He had no military background, but, knew what a general should do during war. He replaced so many generals until finally promoting General Grant. Lincoln knew Grant knew how to utilize the North's resources and use that to his advantage to clamp the vise tighter on the South. Lincoln was a genius. He held together this country when a weaker man would've compromised with a treaty acknowledging the Confederacy after so many loses of the North. This speech is just another example of the intelligence of this great man.
