Abraham Lincoln gave a speech at the dedication of the Gettysburg Cemetery on November 19, 1863. He began by noting that the soldiers who fought and died in the Battle of Gettysburg had already consecrated the land. Lincoln then stated that the living must dedicate themselves to continuing the unfinished work that those soldiers had fought for, which was preserving the nation and bringing new freedom. In conclusion, Lincoln expressed his vision that the democratic government that so many had given their lives for would not perish.