Lincoln (Part 2)

Assignment # 10 Due 12 - 3- 13

"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."

Abraham Lincoln

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

November 19, 1863

In this passage, Abraham Lincoln attempts to redefine the Declaration of Independence as noted in our lecture. In the Dred Scott case it was determined that African Americans were not entitled to the rights under the Declaration of Independence. Therefore the proposition that “all men are created equal” was not born in to our country. Liberty (freedom) was born in to our country. However, that freedom does not extend to everyone in our country for all men were not created equal. In Lincoln’s words we are “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” meaning that in future we hope to achieve this goal. We hope that equality comes to pass in our country. At the time America had not yet granted equality to all of its citizens and that is something that the country needed to work towards. 

            I chose this passage because it is very significant in understanding the Declaration of Independence and our country. When reading the clause that states “all men are created equal” it brings in to question how African Americans could be slaves if all men were supposedly created equal. Lincoln offers an important explanation to this. It is not that in our country all men are actually created equal. We as a country are working towards that equality for the future. I believe in this present day we are still working towards the equality of all man. I believe that we will always work towards it. Our country has grown and continuously diversified over the years with its many cultures, languages, religions, etc. As a country we must continue to work and strive for the rights of all citizens of American despite their ethnic, religious, or social background so that we can reach a point of equality for all mankind.