Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.mov

Nothing inspires good heartfelt writing, like immersing oneself in good, heartfelt writing. My children have memorized this as well, and we all take pride in that accomplishment.

Learning what each sentence means was a good long lesson in grammar, literature, American history, and the cost of war, as well as the power, and danger, of the violent pursuit of ideals.

As an anatomical historical aside, the battle of Gettysburg among other Civil War battles brought forward several steps the demand for embalming the dead in the US, so that families could see their soldier's home. It also increased the demand for quality prostheses on the part of limbless soldiers.

Under most modern circumstances, not going to war in the first place may be a more expedient means of seeing your soldiers home, and more deeply satisfying. And surely we can find alternate inspiration for medical advances. But war will likely appear to many either a "necessary evil" or a golden opportunity, so long as earth continues to spin. We do well to remember how very high are the opportunity costs of such endeavors.

Although I have learned this speech and pondered it considerably, I still cannot tell you what I think about Lincoln himself. Some consider him the greatest President, others the very worst. All arguments generally contain some truth. All I am willing to say at this point, was that he at the very least could put powerful words to paper, which have commanded my attention.

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Education

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• Gettysburg Address
• Lincoln
• Speeches
• American History
• American Literature