Lincoln recalls the founding of the United States based on principles of liberty and equality. He refers to the ongoing Civil War and how its outcome will determine whether a nation founded on these principles can long endure. Lincoln cites the battle at Gettysburg as the reason for dedicating a memorial to those who died there defending these founding principles of the nation.

1. What it
Means
What it
Does
v
Thanks

2. What it
Means
What it
Does
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.
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

3. What it
Means
What it
Does
Lincoln recalls the
founding of the
United States and
highlights liberty
and equality as the
founding principles
most relevant to his
topic.

4. What it
Means
What it
Does
Lincoln recalls the
founding of the
United States and
highlights liberty
and equality as the
founding principles
most relevant to his
topic.
In paragraph 1,
Lincoln makes a
historical reference
and emphasizes two
central ideas.

5. What it
Means
What it
Does
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 battle-field 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.

6. What it
Means
What it
Does
Lincoln refers to the ongoing Civil
War and notes that its outcome will
determine whether a nation founded
on liberty and equality can survive.
He cites this struggle as the reason
for the memorial’s existence, and he
declares the battlefield an
appropriate memorial to those who
died there.

7. What it
Means
What it
Does
Lincoln refers to the ongoing
Civil War and notes that its
outcome will determine whether
a nation founded on liberty and
equality can survive. He cites
this struggle as the reason for
the memorial’s existence, and he
declares the battlefield an
appropriate memorial to those
who died there.
He updates the reference to
the present by introducing an
abstract conflict, which he
relates to the time and place of
the speech. The next
sentences relate the conflict to
current events, and evaluate
the events that are about to
take place.

8. What it
Does
describes
narrates
lists
itemizes
explains
compares
illustrates
evaluates
cites
exemplifies
offers a hypothesis
supports
introduces
claims
states a proposition
provides history
categorizes
predicts
reasons
traces
provides an example
synthesizes
elaborates
develops
deepens
contrasts
emphasizes
contradicts