QuoteQuest“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.”
— Abraham Lincoln, 1863
Verification
VerifiedWording confirmed against a primary source.
Five manuscript copies exist with slight differences; this follows the Bliss copy.
Source
- Title
- Gettysburg Address
- Type
- speech · Primary source
- Date
- 19 November 1863
- Location
- Opening sentence
- Held by
- Library of Congress
Context
Given at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War.
What it means
Lincoln reframes the war as a test of whether a nation founded on equality can survive.
Cite this source
Lincoln, Abraham. (19 November 1863). Gettysburg Address. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/gettysburg-address/
Check citations against your institution's style guide; some details may be missing.
Provenance: Manually entered from Library of Congress materials.