Understanding the Concept of a “Proposition” in Lincoln’s Context
If one tries to list the most iconic events of American history, the Gettysburg Address by President Abraham Lincoln would deserve one of the highest ranks. The speech, consisting of ten sentences and 272 words, took merely three minutes of the crowd’s time (Schnall, 2014, 0:42:18). Despite that fact, Lincoln said more than the most famous speakers could say in several hours.
Lincoln outlined America as one nation under God with a handful of carefully crafted lines. He redefined the Civil War as a fight for ideals of liberty rather than political conflict. Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in the hard times for the country. The president was waging a long, bloody, and increasingly unpopular war against the Confederate States of America. The people of the Union desperately needed the inspiration to continue the struggle. Lincoln used a famous “proposition of all men created equal to rally the nation” (Schnall, 2014, 0:00:48).
He reminded the public that the future of democracy, the very idea of the government “of the people, by the people, for the people” was at stake (Schnall, 2014, 0:01:32). In the sense that Lincoln used it, the proposition equals to original liberty of America, the core value embedded into the Declaration of Independence.
The Meaning of “Consecrate” and Its Significance
In that respect, Gettysburg has become the monument to those who gave their lives for the proposition. The word “consecration” means an act of sanctifying, making the place sacred. Several months before Lincoln’s speech, Gettysburg became the place of the Union’s most excellent stand.
Between 160,000 and 200,000 men fought on both sides in a three-day battle (Schnall, 2014, 0:12:55). Robert E. Lee, the undefeated general of the Confederacy, sent his troops to crush the Union army. However, the Union won its first significant victory against Lee. Thus, the battlefield at Gettysburg became sacred for the cause of the North.
Defining “Hallowed” Ground and Its Importance
The bloody sacrifice and bravery of soldiers on both sides made Gettysburg a hallowed ground of the American Civil War. General Lee sent his soldiers into one fierce attack after another; nearly 50,000 men were killed or maimed at Gettysburg (Schnall, 2014, 0:18:37). The victorious troops of the Union sustained significant casualties, paying for the first major victory against the Confederacy in their blood. Ultimately, Gettysburg became a place of carnage and grief, even for the winning side.
The Significance of Brevity in the Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln reflected that symbolism in his address as an empathetic and intelligent man. He understood the human aspect of war — he knew that soldiers were the greatest heroes (Schnall, 2014, 0:25:00). Lincoln saw the Gettysburg Memorial opening ceremony as an opportunity to appeal to the people. A long speech was not necessary to those who lost their fathers, brothers, and sons in a war that Lincoln had started, even with a noble cause in mind.
Therefore, the president said only what mattered at the moment. Lincoln explained why the Civil War must be won, commemorated fallen soldiers, and promised that all blood and sacrifice would not be in vain. A brief address was a better format choice for such purposes than a lengthy, eloquent speech.
The Connection Between Lincoln’s and Douglass’ Works
Finally, one can see an essential correlation between Lincoln’s words and the memories of Frederick Douglass, a black man who escaped the slavery of the South and found freedom in the North. Lincoln defined democracy as the people’s government, by the people, and for the people. When Douglass finally reached the safety of the Northern states, he was amazed by “the wealth, refinement, enterprise, and high civilization” of the North (Douglass, 1883, p. 6).
Meanwhile, in the South, white men who did not enslave people were treated with contempt and called “poor white trash” (Douglass, 1883, p. 6). In that regard, one can see the clear difference between the two parts of America. The North was for the people, as President Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address. The South was not even for the whites but for a privileged class of enslavers.
References
Douglass, F. (1883). My escape from slavery. The Century Illustrated Magazine, 23, 1-8.
Schnall, P. (2014). Lincoln @ Gettysburg [Film]. Public Broadcasting Service.