Gettysburg Address Event
Facilitator's Guide
Gettysburg Address 
Teaching Resources
Press Release
Guinness World Record
Requirements
Illinois National Guard
Invitation
Illinois National Guard
Application
Evaluation Form
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ABOUT THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS
Facilitator Talking Points for the Gettysburg Address Simultaneous Reading Event:
Four Score and Seven
February 12, 2009 — 9:30 a.m.
with live webcast at www.PresidentLincoln.org
Use the following talking points to introduce the Gettysburg Address to students prior to the reading. Additional Gettysburg Address teaching materials are available. After the event, give us your feedback.
Today, to mark Lincoln's 200th birthday, we join together to recite this great speech once again.
The Battle at Gettysburg
 Three days of fighting from July 1-3, 1863
Northern and Southern troops met outside the small town of Gettysburg, PA.
Over 50,000 men died.
The Aftermath
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was a small farming community.
Farm land became a graveyard.
Churches, public building and even peoples' homes became hospitals for the
 wounded.
Pennsylvania bought a section of the battlefield to create a cemetery.
Cemetery Dedication
On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln was invited to say a few words at the
dedication of the new cemetery.
Thousands gathered for the dedication ceremony
The main speaker, Edward Everett, spoke for two hours before Lincoln
Lincoln's speech lasted only a few minutes.
A Great Speech, A Famous Speech
Lincoln used only 267 words and ten sentences to get his point across.
By late 1863, the North was tired of war.
The Union had been defeated in several battles. Many men had died.
Lincoln knew he needed to speak to the American people to lift their spirits.
Lincoln reminded the audience of the sacrifices made by the founding fathers
Lincoln honored the men who had died on the battlefield at Gettysburg
Lincoln challenged America to continue to fight for unity and equality as written in the
Declaration of Independence.
Lincoln spoke of a "new birth of freedom" — he was telling the nation it was a time to
end slavery and give true freedom to all
The Gettysburg Address is one of the most famous speeches in history.
Lincoln's words and the ideas he shared have been quoted over and over again by
other famous people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.
All over the world, people who are fighting for freedom still look to the Gettysburg
Address for inspiration.
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