Project Blog #2 - The Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" signifies the philosophy of Henry David Thoreau, and that is the philosophical idea of civil disobedience. In Lincoln's speech, the president addresses the nation as one whole. He states that the men who "gave their lives" on the hallowed ground stood up for something that many believed was not wrong to do. Although Lincoln does not address the issue of slavery literally, it is widely known one of the main reasons the Civil War took place was on the issue of slavery and whether or not its justifiable.

One can compare Lincoln's address to Thoreau's philosophy of civil disobedience because he was an individual that stood up for the cause of a minority feeling the oppression of a society that was full of discrimination. The South was all for the idea of slavery, saying that it was economically efficient and caused no harm. Lincoln on the other hand demonstrates in his Gettysburg speech that the men, who gave their lives to restore a Union falling apart because of something as viscous as slavery, deserve so much credit and recognition. He feels that slavery is considerably wrong and cruel, so he defends the slaves and belongs on a side that was not always the most favored in the nation. Thoreau believes that an individual should not let an unjust crime go unnoticed and untouched. He feels that people should stick up for what is morally right.

The connection between Lincoln's speech and Thoreau's philosophy is strikingly similar when it comes down to the idea that doing what is right, even if it is not the popular decision, always pays off. According to Ray Graves, Thoreau believes that all citizens have the responsibility to do what's right. Lincoln further demonstrates this philosophy of Thoreau because he speaks up for those (slaves) who have no voice in a society powered by discrimination and economic, money-hungry plantation owners. His willingness to portray civil disobedience, even in a time of complete turmoil and national disaster, portrays the side of Lincoln that earned him a spot as one of history's most phenomenal presidents.

Lincoln, Abraham, and Roy P. Basler. "The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln."NetINS Showcase. Abraham Lincoln Online. Web. 07 Feb. 2012.

Graves, Roy Neil. "Responsibility in 'Civil Disobedience'." McClinton-Temple, Jennifer ed. Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2011. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.