images of the hay copy:
images of the everett copy:
images of the bancroft copy:
images of the bliss copy:
version-tracking on the five extant versions of this masterpiece from: gettysburg, pennsylvania on november 19, 1863. for reference used, see: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm 1. nicolay copy 2. hay copy 3. everett copy 4. bancroft copy 5. bliss copy images of the 5 copies are appended. i also created a sixth version, which provides a suggestion for present-day memorization. (word-choices were made for phrasing and aural beauty, and punctuation differences were minimized in importance, as this is so famous _as_ a speech, rather than as a written work.)
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, — nicolay our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, — hay our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, — everett our fathers brought forth, on this continent, — bancroft our fathers brought forth on this continent, — bliss our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, — memorize a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that “all men are created equal”. to the proposition that “all people are created equal”. — memorize Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. — nicolay so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. — hay so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. — everett so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. — bancroft so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. — bliss so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. — memorize We are met on a great battlefield of that war. — nicolay We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. — hay We are met on a great battlefield of that war. — everett We are met on a great battlefield of that war. — bancroft We are met on a great battlefield of that war. — bliss We are met on a great battlefield of that war. — memorize We come to dedicate a portion of it, — nicolay We have come to dedicate a portion of it, — hay We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, — everett We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, — bancroft We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, — bliss We have come to dedicate a portion of this field, — memorize as a final resting place for those who died here, that the nation might live. — nicolay here gave their lives that that nation might live. — hay here gave their lives, that that nation might live. — everett here gave their lives, that that nation might live. — bancroft here gave their lives that that nation might live. — bliss here gave their lives, that that nation might live. — memorize This we may, in all propriety do. — nicolay It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, — nicolay But in a larger sense, — hay But, in a larger sense, — everett But, in a larger sense, — bancroft But, in a larger sense, — bliss But, in a larger sense, — memorize we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow, this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, — nicolay who struggled here, have consecrated it — hay who struggled here, have consecrated it — everett who struggled here, have consecrated it — bancroft who struggled here, have consecrated it, — bliss who struggled here, have consecrated it, — memorize far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, while it can — nicolay nor long remember, what we say here, but can — hay nor long remember what we say here, but it can — everett nor long remember what we say here, but it can — bancroft nor long remember what we say here, but it can — bliss nor long remember, what we say here, but it can — memorize never forget what they _did_ here. (missing) — nicolay It is for us, the living, rather to be — hay It is for us, the living, rather, to be — everett It is for us, the living, rather, to be — bancroft It is for us the living, rather, to be — bliss It is for us, the living, rather to be — memorize (missing) — nicolay dedicated here to the unfinished work which (missing) — nicolay they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. — hay they who fought here, have, thus far, so nobly advanced. — everett they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. — bancroft they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. — bliss they who fought here have thus far so nobly carried on. — memorize It is rather for us, the living, we here be dedicated — nicolay It is rather for us to be here dedicated — hay It is rather for us to be here dedicated — everett It is rather for us to be here dedicated — bancroft It is rather for us to be here dedicated — bliss It is rather for us to be here dedicated — memorize to the great task remaining before us — nicolay to the great task remaining before us — hay to the great task remaining before us — everett to the great task remaining before us — bancroft to the great task remaining before us — bliss to the great task remaining before us, — memorize that, from these honored dead we take — nicolay that from these honored dead we take — hay that from these honored dead we take — everett that from these honored dead we take — bancroft that from these honored dead we take — bliss that from these honored dead we take — memorize increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion, — nicolay they gave the last full measure of devotion, — hay they here gave the last full measure of devotion, — everett they here gave the last full measure of devotion, — bancroft they gave the last full measure of devotion, — bliss they gave the last full measure of devotion; — memorize that we here highly resolve — nicolay that we here highly resolve that — hay that we here highly resolve that — everett that we here highly resolve that — bancroft that we here highly resolve that — bliss that we here highly resolve that — memorize these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall — nicolay that this nation shall — hay that this nation, under God, shall — everett that this nation, under God, shall — bancroft that this nation, under God, shall — bliss that this nation, under God, shall — memorize have a new birth of freedom; and that government — nicolay and that this government — hay and that government — everett and that government — bancroft and that government — bliss and that this government — memorize — of the people, by the people, for the people — shall not perish from the earth.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that “all people 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 battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of this 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 can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not 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 carried on. 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 this government — of the people, by the people, for the people — shall not perish from the earth.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that “all people 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 battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of this 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 can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not 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 carried on. 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 this government — of the people, by the people, for the people — shall not perish from the earth.
images of the nicolay copy:
images of the hay copy:
images of the everett copy:
images of the bancroft copy:
images of the bliss copy: