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.  

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 on a great battlefield of 

that war.  We have come to dedicate a portion of that 

field 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.  

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot 

consecrate, we cannot 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 

it can never forget what they did here.  It is for us the 

living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work 

which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task 

remaining before us—that from these honored dead we 

take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave 

the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly 

resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that 

this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, 

and that government of the people, by the people, for the 

people shall not perish from the earth.  

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.  

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 on a great battlefield of that war.  We have come to dedicate 

a portion of that field 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.  

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we 

cannot 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 it can never forget what they did here.  It is for us the living 

rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who 

fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be 

here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these 

honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they 

gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that 

these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall 

have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the 

people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.  

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. 

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 on a great 

battlefield of that war.  We have come to dedicate a portion of that field 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.  

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot 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 it can never forget what they did here.  It is for 

us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who 

fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be here dedicated 

to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased 

devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we 

here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under 

God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the 

people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.  

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. 

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 on a great 

battlefield of that war.  We have come to dedicate a portion of that field 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.  

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot 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 it can never forget what they did here.  It is for 

us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who 

fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be here dedicated 

to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take 

increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of 

devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, 

that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government 

of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.