Abraham Lincoln- The Gettysburg Address

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this" (Lincoln). The Gettysburg Address that Lincoln delivered during the Civil War was really related to realism. He was sharing this speech in a time where people were really upset about the battle that was going on, that was affecting everyone's lives. He delivered his speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at the battlefield to soldiers, soldiers families, and people that were there already there or had heard that he was going to be giving the speech.

This next part of Lincolns Gettysburg address really shows us a great example of realism. "But in a larger sense we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here"(Lincoln). I think that this part of Lincoln's speech really hit hard for some people. He showed me that this was a realism writing, because he was using real life events that were going on around them, and was telling them that they can not take something like this lightly. He was also just being honest and admitting things that were hard to face at that time. He was honestly just being real and telling them that they have to face the facts that we have lost people and they have fought for us and risked their lives so that we could have freedoms.

"One eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the Southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union, even by war; while the government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God"(Lincoln). In Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address he was really upset that people were still wanting to have slaves, and no body was totally just stopping people from having slaves. This speech really shows realism, and it is amazing to see the details Lincoln gave us that shared the real life things that the slaveholders were thinking or the things that the slaves had to go through. I think the point where Lincoln says that they pray to the same God really showed me realism. He was letting people know that we need to face the facts and realize that no matter what your color, we all should be treated equally because we are all the same especially in God's eyes. While giving this speech Lincoln really was dealing with emotions and feelings of everybody during this time. He knew that they should think about God and what he would of thought of some of their behaviors.

Lincoln's writings are really good writings that we all need to read. He made a huge influence on our country, that still affects us today.

Lincoln, Abraham. "Gettysburg Address Abraham Lincoln Civil War Speech." American Civil War History Timelines Battle Map Pictures. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. .

Lincoln, Abraham. "Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address." NetINS Showcase. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. .