Joshua Smart
Extra Credit Essay
Section 51
11/21/11
Gettysburg Address The battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in our countries civil war but also a turning point in the Civil War. In the 1860s the country began to separate over the topic of slavery. Many laws, acts, and compromises were made to try and nullify the fire that was brewing over the matter. Soon a Civil war broke out which pitted north against south. Battles broke out all across the United States and soon a massive battle broke out at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was by far the most deadly and devastating battle in the civil war. After all was said and done both sides accounted for nearly 50,000 deaths. Soon after came the very famous Gettysburg Address. The Gettysburg Address was a speech put out by the fifth President of our United States, Abraham Lincoln. In the address Lincoln tries to boost the morale of all who witnessed or heard of the events that happened on the battle field at Gettysburg. When the address came out it was very monumental, in a time where our newly established country is now divided on important issues. Lincoln took a moment to tell the world that regardless of the outcome no one would forget what the men were fighting for. In my opinion it was Lincoln’s way of telling everyone who was listening that the war was a symbol of freedom, change, and that everyone who gave their life did it for a cause greater than themselves. I think that the sentence “this nation under God shall