The Gettysburg Address vs I Have a Dream

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“The Gettysburg Address” vs. “I Have a Dream” Civil rights movements started long before knowing what equality of race was all about. Civil rights are defined as follows. “Civil rights are personal liberties that belong to an individual, owing to his or her status as a citizen or resident of a particular country or community”. In 1865, the thirteenth amendment of the Constitution of the United States made slavery unlawful, as well as other forms of involuntary servitude. This coming just two years after Abraham Lincoln, gave his great speech. Many years later Martin Luther King Jr., would also talk about civil rights and how they affected him. Martin Luther King Jr. certainly didn’t know how his words from his famous “I Have a Dream” speech would impact history at that time. He headed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which grew to be the most important civil rights organizations in the country. He was one of the many leaders in history to make a mark on civil rights. King and Lincoln were very different men in very different times, however they both thought along the same linear path. The men shared a common goal; brotherhood. Many of our forefathers had a way with words. One in particular is one of my favorites, “The Gettysburg Address”. Abraham Lincoln, wrote the speech in 1863, it has been considered one of the most eloquent speeches in history, despite the length. Moving words don’t necessarily have to come in duration, but to ring in our ears for eternity. Just four months after fifty one thousand men were wounded, missing or dead, President Lincoln came to Gettysburg on an invitation to speak at the dedication of a cemetery. The three- day battle ended with a victory for the Union. Lincoln shared the podium that day with Edward Everett, one of the most famous orators of the time. Everett spoke at length, just over two hours.
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