Gettysburg Address

I am not made of stone or wood. I am made of special words waiting to be heard. Imagine a big, quiet field under a gray sky. It was a chilly day on November 19th, 1863. Many people were gathered together. They felt sad, but they also felt hopeful. A tall, kind man stood up to speak to everyone. He looked at all the faces waiting and listening. He was ready to share me with the world. I am not a building or a statue. I am a collection of special words. I am the Gettysburg Address.

The tall, kind man who wrote me was President Abraham Lincoln. He was very wise and wanted to help people feel better. A big, sad fight had just happened there, and he wanted to remember all the brave soldiers. He chose each of my words very, very carefully. He wanted my words to feel like a big, warm hug for everyone. I am a very short speech. You can say all of my words in just a few minutes. But President Lincoln hoped I would remind everyone to be kind, to be friends, and to be fair to each other.

Even though I was spoken so long ago, my words still fly through the air today. People all over the big, wide world share my words. They share me to remember how important it is to work together and be good friends. My words are like a tiny seed of hope. They remind everyone that even after sad times, we can build a world that is good and fair for all people. I am here to help you remember that even little words can carry big, beautiful dreams for everyone.