Primary Sources: The Gettysburg Address

There is, perhaps, no more compelling speech in American history than that delivered by Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg on November 19, 1863. In the midst of a civil war that threatened to both destroy the Union and end this "grand experiment" in democracy, Lincoln implored Northerners to persevere, to bring true liberty and equality to all Americans -- to ensure that the sacrifices made by those who had perished during the conflict were not made in vain. Although initially not well-received, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is remembered today as some of the most stirring words ever spoken.

This resource includes a PowerPoint that recounts the events of November 19 and leads students through Lincoln's speech sentence by sentence. The PowerPoint includes comments for each slide, noting the speech delivered by keynote speaker Edward Everett and describing contemporary reactions to Lincoln's address. The final slide of the presentation is a wonderful opportunity to show a clip from Ken Burns' series on the Civil War, during which Sam Waterston, as Lincoln, delivers the Gettysburg Address. The file has been saved in an Office 97-2003 format and uses a Calibri font -- this can be adjusted as needed.

The resource also includes a copy of the speech itself and a series of questions based on the document. As such, it becomes an excellent close reading activity. An answer key is provided.

Finally, the resource includes a graphic organizer that divides the Gettysburg Address into sections that students can then paraphrase, either individually or in groups. Doing so makes the speech accessible to all learners. An answer key is provided.

For those seeking distance learning options, the graphic organizer and questions can be readily converted to digital activities using Google Slides.

You can also purchase this resource as part of a bundled mini-lesson I have uploaded to Amped Up Learning: Lincoln at Gettysburg.  The bundle includes a biography of Lincoln and a series of questions based on the reading.

I have used this resource in my own class room for years and am certain you will find this a valuable addition to your curriculum.

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