How did Lincoln describe the broader purpose of the Civil War in the Gettysburg Address?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: As a test of whether a nation dedicated to liberty and equality could survive
Lincoln framed the war as a test of democratic government and national survival. He also linked the conflict to the unfinished promise that all people are created equal.
Keep practicing
More Legacy of the Civil War questions
- What role did Memorial Day have in Civil War memory?
- Why were Civil War monuments important in shaping public memory?
- Why have Confederate monuments become controversial in modern America?
- How did many African Americans remember the Civil War and Reconstruction?
- What was Juneteenth originally connected to?
- Why did veterans' reunions between former Union and Confederate soldiers sometimes emphasize reconciliation?