Name: _________________________ McGee AP Comp

Date: __________________________ SOAPSTone Practice 3

SOAPSTone: Lincoln’s ​Gettysburg Address

Directions:​ Read Abraham Lincoln’s ​Gettysburg Address​ and annotate as you read. Then, fill
out the SOAPS chart below. Be sure to provide textual quotes that demonstrate ​how​ you
determined your answers.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new
nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created
equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so
conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that
war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those
who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper
that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we cannot hallow

-- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it,
far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember
what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living,
rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have
thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task
remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that
cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve
that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a
new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from the earth.
 SOAPS Your Answer Textual Evidence
The subject of this “​We have come to dedicate a portion
Subject address is to honor and of that field, as a final resting place
What are the general remember the people that for those who here gave their lives
topic(s), content, and died that that nation might live​”
ideas contained in the
text? “But, in a larger sense, we cannot
dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we
cannot hallow -- this ground. The brave
men, living and dead, who struggled
here, have consecrated it, far above our
poor power to add or detract”

“from these honored dead we take

increased devotion to that cause for
which they gave the last full measure of
devotion”
The Gettysburg Address According to “America’s Library”
Occasion took place in 1863 in
What is the time and Gettysburg Pennsylvania.
place of the text – the
rhetorical context that
encouraged the writing
to happen?

The audience is the (The use of the word we)

Audience nation “...this nation....by the people
Who is the audience –
the (group of) readers
to whom this piece is
directed?

This speech was written “...​ a new nation, conceived in Liberty,

Purpose as dedication for the and dedicated to the proposition that
Why was this text numerous amount of all men are created equal.”
written? soldiers that lost their “... that from these honored dead we
lives. Abraham Lincoln take increased devotion to that cause
also wanted to reunite the for which they gave the last full
nation and bring equality measure of devotion”
to all citizens.
preserve the union
 The voice that tells the “...​Now we are engaged in a great civil
Speaker story is Abraham Lincoln, war”
Who is the voice that who was president at the
tells the story? time of the Battle of
Gettsyburg.

The attitude of Lincoln’s “..​that we here highly resolve that

Tone speech remains hopeful these dead shall not have died in
What is the attitude of that America will prosper vain.”
the author? even greater and “...and that government of the
continue the legacy of people, by the people, for the people,
those who have fallen. shall not perish from the earth.”