Who was Lincoln speaking to in the Gettysburg Address?

In the battle's bloody aftermath, Gettysburg residents tended the wounded and dying, welcomed soldiers' relatives, shipped out the dead, rebuilt shattered ... When Lincoln rose to speak, he faced from 10,000 to 20,000 people gathered around Cemetery Hill, the site of heavy Confederate bombardment during the battle. read more

Lincoln gave this draft to Nicolay, who went to Gettysburg with Lincoln and witnessed the speech. The Library of Congress owns this manuscript. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. read more

Ultimately the Gettysburg Address became a classic piece of writing but at the time Lincoln was speaking to the entire northern public - and he well knew that. Reporters were there - all of his speeches were printed in the newspapers. read more

The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, and one of the best-known speeches in American history. read more