Primary Source Analysis: Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

Lincoln's 1863 Gettysburg Address was delivered to dedicate a national cemetery on the site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battlefields, and it has since been celebrated as one of the most powerful statements in the English language. Introduce your learners to this historical speech—and the context in which was delivered—with this three-page social studies worksheet. Students will build understanding of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address by reading and analyzing each piece of the complicated text separately, answering comprehension and analysis questions at each stage of their reading. This engaging exercise provides guided exploration of this important primary-source text and its focus on the challenges involved in trying to unite a divided country.