The Long Shadow of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

De: Jared Peatman

Narrado por: David C. Fischer

Duración: 9 h y 5 m

Resumen del Editor

When Abraham Lincoln addressed the crowd at the new national cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1863, he intended his speech to be his most eloquent statement on the inextricable link between equality and democracy. However, unwilling to commit to equality at that time, the nation stood ill-prepared to accept the full message of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. In the ensuing century, groups wishing to advance a particular position hijacked Lincoln's words for their own ends, highlighting the specific parts of the speech that echoed their stance while ignoring the rest. Only as the nation slowly moved toward equality did those invoking Lincoln's speech come closer to recovering his true purpose. In this incisive work, Jared Peatman seeks to understand Lincoln's intentions at Gettysburg and how his words were received, invoked, and interpreted over time, providing a timely and insightful analysis of one of America's most legendary orations.

After reviewing the events leading up to November 19, 1863, Peatman examines immediate responses to the ceremony in New York, Gettysburg itself, Confederate Richmond, and London, showing how parochial concerns and political affiliations shaped initial coverage of the day and led to the censoring of Lincoln's words in some locales. He then traces how, over time, proponents of certain ideals invoked the particular parts of the address that suited their message, from reunification early in the twentieth century to American democracy and patriotism during the world wars and, finally, to Lincoln's full intended message of equality during the Civil War centennial commemorations and the civil rights movement of the 1960s. An epilogue highlights recent and even current applications of the Gettysburg Address and hints at ways the speech might be used in the future.

©2013 Board of Trustees, Southern Illinois University (P)2014 Redwood Audiobooks

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Until the appearance of Jared Peatman's book, no one had shown as clearly as he does the long-term effect of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address on friend and foe alike. Must reading for all Americans." (John F. Marszalek, executive director and managing editor, Ulysses S. Grant Association)

"Jared Peatman's wonderfully researched and ably presented book is the first in more than a generation to examine thoroughly the events of November 19, 1863, the public response to the address, and what it has meant to the world ever since." (William C. Davis, director, Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, Virginia Tech)