He evoked the ancient Greeks, who saved their society by defeating the Persians at Marathon, drew upon Wellington’s victory over Napoleon at Waterloo, and then moved to a history of the Battle of Gettysburg-America’s decisive victory in the struggle to save the nation. Edward Everett, the most famous orator of his day, spoke first, and his address took some ninety minutes to deliver. Lincoln made his speech at the cemetery’s dedication, some four months after the bloody and pivotal battle that turned the tide of the Civil War in favor of the Union. Over the past 150 years, it has become a compelling testament to the sacrifices required to achieve freedom for all Americans. Lincoln’s speech, delivered at Gettysburg National Cemetery on November 19, 1863, has endured as a supreme distillation of American values. The Gettysburg Address, Including First Day Printings George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation.
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