Practice News Story 6: Speech

President's Speech Announces New Cemetery

Posted: 4:42 p.m. MST, Feb.21, 2007

Gettysburg, PA—President Lincoln gave a speech on Wednesday afternoon in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where it is approximated that 15,000 men lost their lives during the Battle of Gettysburg. "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," was the opening line of his speech. In this speech it was said there will be a cemetery built to honor those who died at Gettysburg.

President Lincoln’s speech focused on those who died in the battles and that they deserve the highest amount of honor for what they did for our country. Later in an interview the President was asked how long it took him to write his speech. He replied, "A couple of hours. I hand wrote it. I felt inspired actually. I felt guided when writing them." He was then asked about his feelings being here at the battlegrounds of Gettysburg. He said he felt somber. "You look around and can you imagine what took place here."

"Our children and our children’s children will look back and be grateful we fought through it," was a statement said by Lincoln about fighting this war. The President said many times in his interview that he often wonders what we are fighting for. He recalls running for senator and there was concern that a war might take place.

The Gettysburg cemetery will be built over the course of five years. Not all soldiers who died in the battle will be buried there. As Lincoln said it is, "A fitting and proper tribute."