Selective Reading Guide: THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS by Abraham Lincoln illustrated by Michael McCurdy foreword by Garry Wills Title

Page Who wrote the words in this book? Who illustrated it? How do you think the illustrations are made? What do you think Garry Wills did? Turn the page and you will see. Foreword This page by Garry Wills gives you the setting and the reason Lincoln gave one of the most famous speeches in our countrys history. Now the speech begins. Look at the first few words on each page. Four Score A score is 20, so how many years is Lincoln talking about? What happened four score and seven years ago when Lincoln said this? conceived in Liberty Why are only African Americans illustrated on this page? Now we are engaged How was the nation being tested? We are met What is the name of the great battle-field? We have come to We often refer to soldiers as giving their lives for their countries. How does that idea apply here? It is altogether fitting Fitting and proper means the right thing to do. Here, what does the right thing to do mean? But, in a larger sense Read each WE as if it were in capital letters and bold print, and think about the meaning you get. Hallow means to make something holy. The brave men On THIS page, Lincoln says why WE can not make the ground hallowed. Who can? The world will What did Lincoln think people would remember? It is for us the living Remember what the year is. When did the Civil War end? What is the unfinished work? Nobly advanced means courageously moved forward. It is rather for us Notice the expression on the faces in the illustration. What could they be thinking? Now read this page. Where do you think they are they going? that we here highly resolve Resolve = determine In vain = uselessly Perish = pass away. Think about each of these very important prepositions and what the phrases mean OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people. Afterword: Michael McCurdy tells the reason why he is so interested in the Civil War.