Which US President delivered the famous "Gettysburg Address" during the Civil War in 1863?

Abraham Lincoln is the answer. President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address during the Civil War in 1863 at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Lincoln at Gettysburg

Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. The ceremony took place several months after the Battle of Gettysburg, which was fought in July 1863 and became one of the most significant battles of the Civil War. Lincoln was not the main speaker that day, but his brief remarks became the part of the dedication most remembered in American history.

A Short Speech After a Major Battle

The Gettysburg Address was given to dedicate the national cemetery for Union soldiers who had died in the battle. Edward Everett, a respected orator and former statesman, delivered the main address and spoke much longer than President Lincoln. Lincoln’s speech was only a few minutes long, but it gave the cemetery dedication a larger meaning by connecting the Civil War to the founding principles of the United States.

Why the Gettysburg Address Endures

Lincoln opened with the phrase “four score and seven years ago,” meaning 87 years before 1863, a reference to 1776 and the Declaration of Independence. In the speech, he connected the war to the idea of a nation dedicated to liberty and equality. That link between Gettysburg, the Civil War, and the meaning of the Declaration helped make the Gettysburg Address one of President Lincoln’s most important speeches.